


Belonging

by Artemis_Lance



Category: Power Rangers
Genre: Angst, F/F, Jealous Kim, Trini's last name is Gomez, coming-out, sad trini, trimberly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-10-29 00:10:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 46,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10842369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Lance/pseuds/Artemis_Lance
Summary: Trini takes a chance and comes out to her parents. Now she must deal with not only the repercussions of that decision, but she must also learn to deal with a crush on her best friend, crippling nightmares, and a jock that can't take no for an answer. Will she survive? Will she find somewhere to belong? Or will she crash and burn? Only time will tell.





	1. Living Quarters

            I sit up abruptly and bite down on my lip hard to keep the scream that is bubbling in my throat from escaping. I quickly take in my surroundings and let my shoulders slump in relief when I realize that I am just in the living quarters of the ship. I'm not in my room and Rita isn't hovering over me, tearing through my skin with her claws. I aggressively wipe my hand across my eyes to try and rid myself of the tears that were flowing down my face. Closing my eyes once again I focus on my breathing. In through the nose … one … two … three. Out through the mouth … one … two … three. Over and over again until I can no longer hear my heartbeat thumping through my ears.

            I open my eyes once again and allow myself a few more minutes to compose myself before I slowly leave the comfort of the ships bed. Last week I had cornered Alpha 5 after one of our training sessions and asked if the ship had any bedrooms. Alpha had informed me that, yes, the ship did have six living quarters, one for each of the Rangers that Zordon had come to Earth with, and that we were free to stay in them anytime we wished. I had quickly scoped out the rooms, finding that each was furnished with a large bed, the material of which was unknown but the comfiest thing that I had ever slept on, along with a closet and desk. I had taken up residence in the living quarters at the end of the hall, hoping that none of the other rangers would venture down here. That they wouldn’t find out that I had taken to sleeping here. 

            After the attack on Angel Grove the city had really come together, everyone helping out to try and repair the town. It was during this time that I had decided that it was a good time to come out to my parents. Surely if they could get over an alien attack on our town they could get over the fact that their daughter was gay? Boy had I been wrong. That day would forever be imprinted into my mind.

 

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            _“Mama, papa can I talk to you?” I wrung my hands, barely able to look at my parents. My hands were sweaty and my heart was beating a mile a minute. I considered backing out, of not telling them, but quickly shook the idea away. I wanted to tell them, I needed to tell them because I didn’t want to continue to have to hide who I was from them._

_My father placed a bookmark in his novel, placing the book on the kitchen table, showing me that I had his full attention. “Andrea, come sit dear. What is it you want to talk about, mija?”_

_My mother listened to my father and stopped cutting the carrots and wiped her hands on a dish towel before taking a seat. I took a deep breath and began, “As you two may have noticed, I’ve been really distance lately…a few months ago I, uh, I realized something about myself and I’ve had a hard time coming to terms with it. I’ve been so scared of how you’ll react and I-” I felt myself choke up a bit and wiped my hands on my jeans. My mother shot me a strained smile and my father nodded for me to go on, “I need to tell you because I can’t just hide myself anymore, and I don’t want to…What I’m trying to say is that I-I’m gay.”_

_I bit my lip hard, waiting for them to say anything, holding my breath for their reaction. My father’s eyes widened a bit, but he stayed silent, as if trying to process the information. However my Mom began to shake her head, as if trying to shake the words out of her ears. Tears began to prick at the back of my eyes and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. “No,” my mother muttered, “No. No.”_

_“Mama?” I asked quietly, now visibly shaking where I was standing, “I-”_

_“NO!” She screamed, standing up, the kitchen chair flying behind her. “No you are not – you are not gay!” I flinched, taking a step back as she advanced at me. “I DID NOT RAISE YOU TO BE AN ABOMINATION.”_

_“Mama please…” I whimpered, walking backwards until I hit the counter._

_“WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS KATRINA? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ATTENTION, IS THAT IT?”_

_“No mama, I-I can’t help it. I…I like girls, I-”_

_Smack. My head wiped to the side and I couldn’t move. My mother just slapped me. It barely hurt, my pain tolerance much higher after training for the past few weeks and the battle. Nevertheless I brought my hand up to my cheek in disbelief that my mother just slapped me._

_Her voice got very low and she stared me down with cold eyes, “Don’t you dare say that to me ever again. You are disgusting. You are not my daughter. You are an abomination.” With that she spun around and marched out of the room, leaving me a quivering mess against the counter._

 

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            That had been about two weeks ago. For the first few days I had toughed it out, hoping and praying that maybe my mother just needed time, to see that I was the same person that I had always been. But I couldn’t handle it. She had told Mateo and Jaime, my younger brothers, that they forbidden from talking to me, lest I corrupt them. My brothers were appalled and had tried to sneak into my room later that night to find out what mom was going on about. Only mom had found out and had gripped them both by the arm, dragging them out of the room and screaming at them that I was a monster and she was protecting them from me.

            My breaking point was that she would not allow me to eat dinner with them. I had skipped dinner those first few nights after my confession. So when I finally gathered the courage to go eat with the family I found the fifth chair to our dining table missing and my mother’s glare. “I will not feed the damned,” she had announced to the table, before serving food to my brothers. I had been flabbergasted and had turned to my father in hopes that he would be on my side. Only to find him avoiding my eye contact and muttering, “Just go away.”

            I couldn’t stay there. Not in a house where I was looked at as a monster. Not in a house where my brothers would get in trouble for daring to speak with me. So I had run up to my room and gotten two duffle bags out of my closet, throwing my clothes and bare necessities in them before sneaking out the window. I hadn’t been back since.

            I rolled my shoulders, as if I could shrug off all the pain that was threatening to bury me. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed I allowed my bare feet to touch the cold floor, anchoring me in the present and away from thoughts of my parents. I padded over to the wardrobe that was housing my clothes and grabbed a pair of shorts and a tank top. Once I had quickly changed and thrown my shoes on I made my way out to the pit. Alpha was already standing there, expecting me. “Miss. Trini I really think you should take a break, you’ve been training every day and you sho-”

            I cut Alpha off, “Just summon the putties Alpha.”

            Alpha lets out a soft sigh before three putties materialize before me. I nod my thanks before getting to work. I am a flurry of punches and kicks. _Abomination_. Punch. _Monster_. Kick. _Just go away_. Kick. _I won’t feed the damned_. Punch.

            I let out a cry of anger and tackle one of the putties, straddling it as soon as we both tumble to the ground. I feel tears leak down my eyes as I furiously punch the chest of the puttie, letting lose the rage that has been building up in me ever since I told my parents. Suddenly the puttie disintegrates beneath me and I slump forward onto the ground, letting out a sob. A moment later a hand is on my shoulder, “Miss Trini please go to the morphing grid, you’re hands are bleeding profusely.”

            I hold up my shaking hands and see that all my knuckles are split and blood oozes out of every one of them. I bite my bottom lip roughly and lurch to my feet, limping my way to the command center. We have accelerated healing, but it only goes so far. We heal quicker than normally, but not exponentially so and the cuts on my hands would take a few days to heal even with my new powers. But when we are near the morphing grid the healing process is even faster and the cuts on my hands will be healed in half an hour.

            I glance down at my watch, I still have an hour before school starts so once my wounds are all closed up I’ll take a quick bath in one of the many pools down hear and then head off to school, leaving me enough time to stop by the cafeteria and grabbing something to eat. I sigh and feel wonder how long I will be able to keep this up. How long I will be able to live with the fact that my family hates me. That I am essentially homeless. That I belong nowhere.

           


	2. Homeroom

            Sighing I take a bite of my apple, but it tastes likes ashes on my tongue and I have to fight past the tightness in my throat in order to swallow. I haven’t been able to eat properly now for two weeks, I can barely look at food without getting queasy but I try to push past this because I know I need to eat, no matter how much I don’t want to. I stare at my apple and wonder whether or not I should try and take another bite or if I should just toss it.

            I am just about to chuck it in the bin in the front of the room, about seven feet away when I am pulled from my musings. “Trini!” Kimberly calls out, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and resting her head against mine. Kimberly’s intoxicating scent invades my nostrils and I become dizzy off the smell of vanilla and raspberries, a scent that I have come to both crave and dread over the last few weeks. I feel like I can barely breathe, my mind and body acutely aware of everything that is Kimberly. I’ve always been aware of my crush on Kimberly. I had one even before I truly met her, however when I was the random girl in the back of her bio class it was fine. She didn’t even know who I was and I had nothing to worry about. But then I met her and I got to know her and everything changed. I realized that her personality was just as amazing as she was and my infatuation became more. I'm normally good at hiding it, but at times like this when she was pressed up against me it was hard to remind myself that to Kim this was nothing but friendship.

My brain must have short circuited because I realized that Kimberly was saying something to me when she asked, “What do you think?”

I bite the inside of my cheek and give Kim a nervous smile. Butterflies suddenly erupt in my stomach as I realize how close our faces are. My eyes slip down to her lips, taking in the beautiful fullness of them. _Abomination_. The word flutters through my mind, spat in the way my mother did, and I snap my eyes back up to her own. “Sorry I spaced out there, what did you say?”

Kimberly rolled her beautiful brown orbs at me and bites her lip, almost as if she was nervous, “I asked if you wanted to have a movie night tonight? My parents are going out so we’ll have the house to ourselves and we can order some take out and you could even sleepover since it’s a Friday night. What do you say?”

I can’t control the wide smile that makes its way across my face at Kim’s adorable ramble. Before I can even begin to question whether or not this is a good idea I am nodding my head, “Yeah that sounds like a lot of fun, when should I come over?”

I feel like I should put on a pair of sunglasses with how bright Kim’s smile is. “Awesome!” she squealed immediately. A light dusting of pink spread across her cheeks as she coughed, “I mean, um, great, that’s uh, great ... Why don’t you come after school? That way I can drive you over and you don’t have to walk or ride your bike, or uh have one of your parents drop you off.” I tense as Kim mentions my parents and this wonderfully pleasant little bubble we were floating in pops and I crash back into reality. Kim must have felt how tense my shoulders suddenly became because that beautiful smile slips off her face. “Unless you don’t want to spend that much time with me. I mean that is a long time and I can totally understand if you want to come later, I mean nothing is wrong with walking, biking, or having your parents drop you off. You-”

I let out a little chuckle, amused at Kim’s nervousness. “Calm down princesa, after school is fine.”

That mega-watt smile slips back onto her face and she opens her mouth to say something else when a loud exclamation of “Crazy girl!” rips through the room. Kim gives a little jump and unwinds her arms from my shoulders. I miss her warmth and wonderful smell as she takes the seat to my right. My homeroom teacher, Mr. Larson, shoots Zach a murderous look for disturbing the atmosphere of his classroom, which is beginning to fill up as students trickle in.

Zach grabs the chair in front of me and pulls it closer to my desk, straddling it so he’s facing Kim and I. “Miss me, crazy girl?” he asks before nodding at Kim, “Pink.” I can’t help the chuckle that escapes at the use of Kim’s color. We’ve all taken to calling each other our colors as a nickname. We have to keep it down to a minimum in public in order to not raise suspicion.

“Just trying to get through the day, Taylor. What do you want?” I say, flicking my eyes over to Kim quickly, noticing the slight frown adorning her features.

He places his hands over his heart, “You wound me, Miss Gomez. What makes you think that I want something?”

I sigh, “I know that you want something because you’re here right now. When you come to school you are making it into homeroom by the skin of your teeth. You are never here before the first homeroom bell. And you are here, talking to me. So I ask again, what do you want?” I raise my eyebrow for effect.

“Fine, fine,” he throws his hands in the air in defeat. “I went to your house after school yesterday to ask, but your mother just told me to leave. Which was rude by the way and it really hurt my feelings.” The blood in my veins runs ice cold. He went to my house. He asked for me. He spoke to my mother. My pulse pounds in my ears and I dig my nails into my palms in order to keep Kim and Zach from seeing my panic. “Anyways I wanted to know if you could come to my house on Sunday? We finally got enough money to buy that new bed frame for my mom and it’s coming in on Sunday and I need help putting it together. And you are just so smart Trini, don’t you think Kim?” He says, throwing a smirk in Kim’s direction. I frown at the glare she throws at Zach in return, but my attention is brought back to him when he speaks again. “And since you are so smart and beautiful I figured you could put that brain of yours to good use and help me? Please?”

He flashes me a toothy grin, which I normally would roll my eyes at, but I am still fighting the panic attack that is bubbling just below the surface of my skin. I feel a little liquid run down my hands and I realize that I have been digging my nails so hard into my palms that I'm drawing blood. I flex my hands and press the palms together, to hide the blood. “Um sure. Yeah I can help.” I wait a moment and then hesitantly, “So…my mother, she was, um, was she rude? Uh what did she say?”

Zach throws me another eye roll, “Yeah, I understand why you don’t get along with her. I mean I just asked if you were home and she totally freaked on me! Telling me that I should stay away from you and to leave her house. Does she think I’m a bad influence? Oh! Does she think I’m your boyfriend?”

I let out a sigh of relief, she hadn’t told him what had happened. She had probably told Zach to stay away from me so that I wouldn’t taint him, afraid that I would ruin this seemingly nice young man. But she hadn’t told him and that’s all that matters. I feel like I can breathe again and the pounding of my heart starts to slow.

I blink when Kimberly clears her throat loudly and I turn my attention to her. Her eyes are steel and if looks could kill Zach would be dead ten times over. “She was probably rude to you because she thinks that you aren’t good enough for her daughter and was scared about the possibility that Trini was dating you. I mean if you came knocking on my door looking for my daughter I probably would send you away too.” Her words we spoken jokingly and I would have thought she was kidding if not for the tightness in her jaw.

“Calm down, Pink, we both know that Trini doesn’t swing my way,” Zach throws a smirk Kim’s way, clearly amused. I just roll my eyes at the two of them.

Before I can say anything the sound of the bell rips through the room. “Alright, everyone that isn’t in my homeroom make your way to your own," Mr Larson calls out. He makes sure to send pointed looks to Zach and Kim as he announces this.

Zach stands, pushing his chair back into place throwing a goodbye over his shoulder before he leaves. I turn to Kim and notice the frown on her face. When she notices me looking at her she sends me a small smile and slowly gets up. “So we’re still on for later right? We’ll talk more about tonight at lunch?”

I shoot her a small smile of my own, “Of course we’re still on. See you in bio?”

Her smile widens and she looks hesitant for a moment before she lets out a soft sigh, “See you in bio.” I watch as she slips her backpack on, throwing one last glance at me before slipping out of the room.


	3. Out of Breathe

Before we became Rangers I knew who everybody was. Kim was the head cheerleader that fell from power for a reason unknown. Jason was the star quarterback with a pranking streak who lost all chances of a scholarship when he ruined his knee in a car crash. Zach was the random guy that hung out at the abandoned railroad cars that I would occasionally see while doing tai chi. And Billy was the kind, lovable nerd in all of my honors and AP classes. Out of all of them the only one I had a conversation with before that night at the pit was Billy.

            Billy and I had all but one class together the entire time that I was at Angel Grove. We were both outcasts and that had caused us to gravitate to each other when we were assigned group projects. The only time that we got together was to work on a project. However we would always hang out when we were done working whether it be to watch a movie or work on one of Billy’s current projects. He was the closest thing that I had to a friend. That friendship only grew after we became rangers and the battle with Goldar and Rita.

            The two of us were currently sitting in AP Calc II, discussing the exam we just took as we wait the last few minutes for the bell to ring. Everyone in the class was done so Mrs. Clark had given us the last few minutes to do with as we pleased. As soon as I had turned around Billy had immediately gone into a play-by-play of the test with me. “So for number eight I used the Alternating Series Test, since it had negative one raised to the nth power. I think that was one of the easiest questions on the test, it was really simple and really obvious, wasn’t it obvious, Trini?”

            I smiled, “Yeah it was really easy, Billy. I used the same test on the question.” I always found it so funny how excited Billy got about calculus. I knew that it was his favorite class because once he got to talking about it his entire face lit up and he began to wave his hands around to try and prove his point. Most people rolled their eyes at Billy when he started to talk about math, but I couldn’t help but feel grateful to be able to experience such unadulterated joy. It was always refreshing to see how something so many took for granted or hated was a joy for Billy. It reminded me to try and look past all the crap that was going on and enjoy the little things.

            The bell finally went off and I stood, swinging my bag over my shoulder. Billy stood up slower than me, double checking that he had everything in his bag before he zipped it up and slipped it on. We made our way towards the doorway, slowing as we got closer to the teachers desk. Billy stopped in front of Mrs. Clark’s desk like he did every day and waited until we were noticed. Mrs. Clark raised her head, a smile on her face. Billy smiled and looked just a little higher than Mrs. Clark’s head, unable to maintain eye contact but still letting out his daily, “Thank you! Have a good day!”

            Mrs. Clark’s smile grew, “Thank you, Billy. Have a good day as well, you too Trini.”

            We finally made our way out of the classroom, turning left as we started to make the way to the cafeteria. We had only walked about five feet before a flustered Kimberly appeared beside me. Her hair was windswept and there was a strand that fell across her nose. I gripped the strap of my bag tightly, resisting the urge to reach out and tuck the stray strand behind her ear. “Hey! I’m glad I caught up to you!” Kim breathed out before her eyes flicked to Billy, “I uh mean, glad I caught up to you two!”

            I smirked, “Little out of breath there Kimmy, what did you sprint here?”

            Kim’s eyes widened and a light blush spread across her cheeks. “What?” she spluttered, “Of course not! I saw you guys from down the hall and jogged over to catch up with you guys!”

            I rolled my eyes, “Mhmm and that’s why your so out of breath.”

            Billy cut in before either of us could say anything, “Even if she ran all the way here, and she must have because her class is on the other side of the school building and we only took approximately a minute and a half to leave Mrs. Clarke’s room, Kimberly wouldn’t be out of breathe thanks to our increased stamina. That means that she is out of breathe for another reason, unless she ran maybe twenty five miles straight before she met us, then she’s out of breathe for a different reason, and it’s highly unlikely that it’s a physical reason.”

            I couldn’t help but let out a giggle, amused by not only Billy’s little spiel and the fact that Kim’s face was as red as Jason’s suit. My giggle tapered off though as Jason approached the group and threw an arm around Kim’s shoulder. My eyes flicked to the ground, reminded that Kim wasn’t out of breathe because of me, a thought that had briefly crossed my mind. A dangerous thought. Kim is straight and has this amazing chemistry with Jason and will probably end of dating him because she was a cheerleader and he was the quarterback. It’s the biggest cliché in the book and is only strengthened by the way they act around each other. Always laughing about one thing or another and often speaking in hushed tones to each other.

            We’ve reached the cafeteria now and I am happy to be able to detach myself from the group to go get in the lunch line, glad to put some space between myself and Kim and Jason. Zach and I are the only ones that purchase lunches, both being on the free or reduced program. All of the others bring their lunches and from the corner of my eye I can see them go and settle down at our normal table. I consider slipping out of the cafeteria then so that I won’t have to watch the flirtatious looks Kim and Jason send back and forth. But I dismiss the idea as quickly as it enters my mind because I need to be able to handle this. I need to learn to get past my feelings for Kimberly because she’s my best friend and I don’t want to lose that.

            So I stand my ground and take a step forward as the line moves forward. I feel a wave as nausea pass through me as the smell of pizza tickles my nose. I press my lips together to fight off the cry that wants to break through. Why? Why can’t I just get past the pain that my mother has caused me? Why can’t I just eat? Why do I need to feel like this?

            I blink back the tears forming at the corner of my eyes. I don’t want to eat. I haven’t wanted to eat in days. But I have to, I train every day and my metabolism is twice of what it used to be since I became a ranger. I need the food, but I can’t seem to eat it. I know I need to but I don’t want to. The knot in my throat tightens and I take a deep, shuddering breath. I need to calm down because if I don’t then the others are going to notice and if they do they’ll ask questions. And once they start asking questions I know that I will be unable to lie to them.

            “Next,” the cafeteria lady calls out, her voice laced with annoyance at my lack of attention. I nod and step forward, grabbing the tray with the typical cardboard-tasting pizza along with a cup of fruit and a muffin. Finally I grab a water bottle and hand my student ID card over to the lady at the register.

            I am just walking up to the table when Kim’s eyes shoot up to my own and widen. Her eyes dart to Jason, who is laughing as he is saying something to her. She quickly throws a punch to his shoulder and hisses something out that I can’t hear as I set my tray down at the seat next to Billy. I can’t help the disappointment and jealousy that bubbles up as Jason continues to laugh, but throws his arm around Kim’s shoulders once again. Kim just pouts and angrily takes a bite of her sandwich.

            I uncap my water and take a sip of it as Zach sets his tray next to my own, “I hate pizza day. Don’t get me wrong, I love pizza, but not when its paper thin and tastes like soggy cardboard.”

            I force a smirk on my face, “How do you eat then Zach? Everything you make tastes just like this pizza.”

            “Aw come on Trini, you love my mac and cheese!” he exclaims.

            I shake my head, “Uh huh, your mac and cheese tastes like shit. You use that freaking freezer crap when everybody knows that the box stuff is not only ten times better but cheaper as well.”

            “Hey I’ll have you know that the freezer mac and cheese is my favorite and worth the extra dollar!” He pokes me with his plastic fork to emphasis his point and I smack his hand away before he can do it again.

            I glare at him, raising an eyebrow to express my disagreement with his statement. He glares right back, standing his ground. We stay like this for a moment before a banana peel slaps Zach in the face. I can’t hold back the roar of laughter that escapes at the incredulous look has on his face. He plucks the peel from his lap and stares at it in disgust, “Who threw this?!?”

            Kimberly is smirking and wiggling her eyebrows at me, which just causes me to laugh harder, clutching my side. “Kimberly Ann Hart!” Zach exclaims, “How dare you!”

            Kim just shrugs her shoulders, her smirk firmly in place still. “You were distracting Trini, we’re supposed to be making plans for our sleepover.”

            I feel myself flush as I remember the sleepover. We had been unable to talk about it during bio class because we had a lab today and needed to focus on it so that we wouldn’t have to stay afterschool to finish it. “Oh you’re having a sleepover! When is it? I could bring over some of my mac and cheese!” Zach exclaims excitedly.

            I feel my face fall slightly, I had been excited to just spend the night with Kim. But now the boys were going to interfere and I would not only have to deal with my crush on Kim, but witness Kim and Jason together all night. I am just coming up with excuses to get out of the sleepover when Kim’s voice rips me back into reality, “We just got finished going over that your mac and cheese sucks Zach, we definitely don’t want it. Besides it’s a girls night, you guys aren’t invited. Sorry Billy,” Kim says, throwing an apologetic smile Billy’s way.

Jason lets out a snort and Billy just smiles at Kim. “I understand Kim, maybe the three of us could have a boy’s night? Guardians of the Galaxy 2 just came out and we could go see that!” Billy excitedly clapped his hands together at the prospect and I smirked, knowing that Zach and Jason could never say no to Billy now.

Jason just nods and they begin to make their plans for the evening. I am smiling at Billy’s summary of the movie when Kim grabs my attention by reaching across the table and grabbing my hand. My face heats up and I look over at her. “So I was thinking that maybe instead of going to my house immediately after school we could maybe go to the new Krispy Kreme? Grab a treat for ourselves and just hang out? Then we could go to my house and pick out some movies or a TV show to binge and call in for take-out when we get hungry?”

I bite my lip and glance down, “Yeah that sounds like a plan, where do you want to meet after school.”

Kim lets out a brilliant smile, “I’ll meet you at your last class, don’t worry.”

I nod and turn my attention to Billy as he calls my name, asking me what I thought about the first Guardians of the Galaxy. I smile and begin to tell him my view on the movie. It isn’t until we leave that I noticed that Kim never let go of my hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, as promised! Enjoy, leave a comment and have a wonderful day! :)


	4. Totally Platonic Donut Date

I tapped my foot impatiently, watching the second’s arm of the old clock tick by at an agonizingly slow pace. I was currently sitting in A.P. Literature, my last class of the day. Normally I loved this class and payed rapt attention to everything that Mr. Carr said. Today however I couldn’t seem to care about Lady Macbeth’s manipulation of Macbeth. All I could focus on was the fact that at any moment now the class would end and I would be spending the rest of the day with Kimberly. The girl I had a very large crush on. The same girl who was very, very straight and had _something_ going on with Jason. But all of that didn’t matter because she is my best friend, I can get past all of that because I care so much for her and our friendship.

            Thankfully the bell went off, the last few minutes passing by quickly as I got lost in my head. I flipped my notebook shut, the page I had open blank as I had paid no attention during class, too preoccupied about tonight. I shoved the notebook in my bag before zipping it up and throwing it over my shoulder. It was then that I realized I shouldn’t be rushing because Kim was meeting me here and I doubt she was sprinting the hallways to get to me. But that was fine because she was just my _friend_ and nothing more. She has no reason to rush to come meet me.

            With slumped shoulders and my gaze resolutely on the ground I made my way out of the classroom, prepared to wait outside in the hall for a few minutes. I shuffled a few feet away from the door and leaned against the wall. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, about to unlock it and fiddle with it as I wait when Kim leaned on her shoulder on the wall next to me suddenly. “”Hey!” I squeaked and dropped my phone, unprepared for Kim’s sudden appearance. Kim’s hand shot out and grabbed my phone before it could hit the ground and probably. My cheeks burned as she held it out to me, “You dropped this,” she said teasingly.

            I huffed and swiped my phone away, “God Kim, give a girl a heart attack why don’t ya.”

            She let out a chuckle and smiled down at me, her eyes sparkling, “I told you I would meet you outside your classroom I don’t know why you were startled.”

            I glare at her as I stuff my phone back in my pocket. “Yeah but I thought I’d have to wait a few minutes for you to make your way over here.”

            She raised one of her eyebrows and wow am I gay because that is probably the sexiest thing that I have ever seen. I tear my eyes away from that brow raise because if I stare at it too long then my knees will go weak. “I told you I’d meet you here and as a rule I tend not to leave pretty girls waiting.”

            If I thought I was flushed before I definitely was now. She just called me pretty. Oh my god she thinks I’m pretty. I’m pretty sure she might have broken me. _Kim is just a friend. Kim is just a_ _friend_. _Kim is just a friend_. I repeat this mantra in my head to remind myself that she is just kidding when she says things like this, that to her it is completely platonic. “Yeah, what other girls are you meeting?” I shoot back, hoping that she doesn’t notice my inner turmoil.  

            Kim rolls her eyes, “You caught me; you’re the only girl that I’m running to meet.”

            I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I splutter for a moment and Kim’s smile widens the longer the time goes on. Finally I just puff and push off the wall, “Let’s just get going.”

            Kim lets out a soft chuckle but I am already walking down the hallway, towards the student parking lot. I hear her fast-walk to catch up to me and a moment later she is falling in step beside me, her shoulder brushing against mine as she walks close to me. I know I should create more distance between us but I can’t seem to do so.

            We only walk in silence to Kim’s car, but the silence is comfortable and I find that by the time we make it to Charlie (the name of her car), that the redness has left my cheeks and I feel less flustered. W both slip into the car and Kim begins to back up before I decide to break the silence, “So what are your parents going out for?”

            Kim lets out a soft smile, “It’s their anniversary so they’re going to go get dinner and see a play in National City. They’re coming back tonight, but they’ll be out really late.”

            I nodded, “That’s good for them. I’m guessing you didn’t want to spend the night alone?”

            Kim furrows her brows and shoots a glance my way, “It’s true that I didn’t want to be alone all night, but that’s not the only reason I invited you. I wanted to spend time with you, T, and I probably would have asked you to come over tonight even if my parents weren’t going out.”

            I bite my lip, “I’m sorry.”

            Kim’s frown deepens and I can see the confusion on her face, “What are you sorry for?”

            “I’m just not used to having people want to spend time with me,” I look out the window, away from Kim’s gaze, “So I’m sorry for you know, questioning your motivation or whatever.”

            Kim reached across the console and grabbed my hand. She squeezed it lightly, “Hey Trini it’s okay, I get it. Just know that I love spending time with you and I will use any excuse to be around you.”

            I squeeze her hand back and bite back a smile. I fail though and make up for it by saying teasingly, “Don’t go all soft on me now, Hart. We’ve got to keep our badass, alien warrior reputations.”

            I could feel Kim’s eye roll without even looking over, “No one knows we’re badass alien warriors so we don’t have to uphold that reputation.” She pulled her hand away so that she could turn the car onto the street where Krispy Kreme is located, “And besides if anyone here is a softy, it’s you.”

            My eyes widen and I glare at her, “Take that back! I am not a softy! I am the most badass out of all the rangers. I am _not_ soft!”

            Kim places the car in park, shifting to look at me, a smirk firmly in place, “Who you trying to convince there Trini?”

            She quickly throws her door open and jumps out before I can say anything. “KIMBERLY” I yell, throwing my door open as I scramble out of Charlie and rush across the parking lot to catch up to her. As I get closer I jump onto her back, causing her to stagger for a moment, surprised. She regains her proper footing, holding onto my thighs to hold me up.  I whack her on the shoulder, “Take it back!”

            I can feel the giggle vibrate through her body, “Ok, ok Miss. Badass, you are not a softy.”

            I grin and tighten my arms around her, placing an exaggerated kiss onto her cheek, “Thank you.” She stumbles then and I glance behind me to see if she’s tripped over a crack or something. There really isn’t anything there and I decide she must have tripped over her own feet. I pat her shoulder, “Alright let me down before you kill me.”

            “I wouldn’t drop you,” she grumbles out, but loosens her hands to allow me to slide down her back until I am standing once again. She grabs the door to the donut shop and opens it, stepping aside to let me through first. Once we are both inside the shop we get in line, “So I was thinking,” she started, “since it’s such as nice day that we could go eat our donuts in the park if you want.”

            I take a breath and remind myself that we are just hanging out, this is not a date no matter how much it feels like one. “I would love to,” I murmured quietly.

            Kim beamed and stepped up to the counter. “Hi, can I get a half dozen donuts, half glazed, half chocolate frosted. Can I also get a regular coffee and an iced raspberry tea?”

            I can’t help but widen my eyes, surprised that Kim not only remembered that I prefer tea, but that I like iced tea in the spring. I’m so surprised I am too slow to get out my wallet before Kim swipes her debit card. I huff and grab a five and two ones out of my wallet, I wait until she has turned around before handing the cash to her.

            She frowns down at it and steps away, “Nuh uh, this is my treat, put that money back this instance.”

            “Kim,” I whine, “Just take the money, I can’t make you pay for all of that.”

            She smirks at me as she grabs the box of donuts from the cashier. We both step aside to wait for our drinks, “See you didn’t make me pay for it, I did it out of my free will. Therefore I refuse to accept your money.”

            I scowl and put the money back into my wallet, “I’m paying next time then.”

            She winks at me, “Sure.”

            I look down at the ground, a grin taking over my face. We both get our drinks and make our way outside, walking across the street to the small park. We walk around a few minutes in silence until we find a nice tree about ten feet away from the path with some nice grass. We set up there so that we are leaning against the trunk, pressed shoulder to shoulder so that we both have tree behind us. Kim sets the box of donuts on her lap and throws it open, taking a glazed for herself. I lean over and pluck out a chocolate glazed donut.

            I bring it up to my mouth and nibble on it. I force myself to swallow my small bite, the knot in my stomach making that hard to do. I glance over at Kim and find her frowning at me, “What’s wrong Trini?”

            “What? Why would you think something is wrong?” I ask defensively.

            “Trini,” she sighs softly, “You haven’t been eating, you barely touched your lunch and you’re only nibbling at that donut and I know for a fact that chocolate frosted is your favorite. You’ve also been really quiet lately, so I know something is wrong.” I remain silent, surprised that Kim has noticed. I can’t help the tears that prickle at my eyes, no one has cared about me so much before to notice changes in my behavior. Kim must have noticed me getting teary eyed because she pushes the donut box off her lap and wraps an arm around me, “You know you can trust me right, Trini? Whatever it is I just want to help you.”

            I feel my resolve crumbling. I find that I want to tell someone what is going on, I especially want to tell Kim. Not because she’s my crush but because I completely trust her and she’s my best friend. I know that she’ll support me and help me get past my suffering and I begin to wonder why I ever kept it from her in the first place. I am just opening my mouth to tell her everything when my veins turn to ice and all the blood drains from my cheeks. I have just seen my mother in the distance, walking through the park with my brothers.

            I let out a whimper and feel some tears fall down my cheeks. Seeing my brothers I feel my heart clench. I miss them so much and I wish I could run up to them and scoop them up into a large hug. But they are with my mother. All at once her words flash through my mind. Abomination standing out the most. I can begin to feel myself shake as I realize that she might see us. She might see us and if she does the first thing she will see is Kim’s arm around my shoulder. I know immediately what she will think and I know that she will cause a scene. Kim’s arm tightens around me, “Kim we need to leave right now,” I choke out, “Please, I promise I’ll tell you everything but we need to leave now before my mom sees us.”

            “Okay,” Kim says simply, grabbing all our things. She stands, and takes my drink from me due to how bad my hands are shaking. I scramble to my feet and quickly follow Kim out of the park and back to the car, making sure to keep a wide berth between us and my mom. Once we are out of sight of the park I feel my shaking lessen and feel like I can breathe again. I am numb all over, I haven’t seen my mom since that night that she told me that she wouldn’t feed the damned and seeing her today has caused all my feelings to rush to the surface.

            I might as well be in a catatonic state as Kim steers me into the passenger seat of Charlie. The moment I am buckled she slams the door shut and scurries to the driver’s side. I lean my head against the window and hug my knees against myself. I focus on my breathing to calm myself down. In. Out. In. Out.

            By the time that I feel like I can function again we are pulling onto Kim’s street. I look around and try to gather my wits. Slowly I unfold my legs and unbuckle as Kim parks. I see her worried look as I open the door and step out. Kim rushes behind me and I suddenly feel a wave of guilt rush through me. I had ruined our little platonic donut date in the park. “I’m sorry,” I can’t even look at her as I say this, so ashamed of myself.

            “Hey, hey look at me,” Kim says, coming up beside me. I force myself to look at her face, “You have nothing to apologize for. Now let’s get inside.”

            I nod and let Kim leads me into the house and upstairs into her room. She sets the donuts and drinks down on her dresser before she plops down onto her bed and opens up her arms. I stare at her a moment before I just nod and fall down next to her. She rolls her eyes at me and grabs me, pulling me so close that I am practically on her lap before she wraps her arms around me. I rest my head against her shoulder and breathe deeply. The familiar scent of vanilla and raspberry fills my nose and I use it to ground me into the moment.

            Kim waits patiently, lazily running her hand up and down my arm. Finally I tell her, “I came out to my parents.” I press my lips together as fresh tears fill my eyes. Kim stays silent, waiting for me to go on, but tightening her arms around me, holding me closer. “I, uh, told them two weeks ago. I-I thought that if they could get past aliens attacking the town that they could get over having a gay daughter.” I let out a bitter laugh, “Boy was I wrong.” My chin wobbles and I squeeze my eyes shut, “They hate me, Kim. My mother called me an abomination. She won’t let me talk to my brothers, scared that I’ll corrupt them. She told my she wouldn’t feed the damned.” I can’t go on, a sob escaping.

            Kim begins to rock us a little bit. Her arms are tight around me, but they aren’t painful. It’s a nice pressure that keeps me anchored in the moment. “I’ve got you,” she repeated over and over again as I cried. I don’t know how long we stayed like that but eventually my tears stopped and my sobbing turned to sniffiling.

            “Why didn’t you tell me?” Kim asks quietly.

            “I don’t know,” I answer honestly, “I think it was because if I told anyone then it would become real … I would have to accept that my mother hates me, that my father can barely stand to be in the same room as me.”

            “Well their idiots. If they can’t see how amazing you are, Trini, then they are just fools. You are the kindest, sincerest, and most amazing person that I know. If they can’t see that it’s their loss. But I am so sorry Trini, I’m so sorry that you’ve been suffering alone. But you’re not alone anymore. I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere. I promise, I’m not going anywhere.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please comment and have a lovely day!


	5. The Sleepover

            We stayed there for another ten minutes or so, Kim just holding me. She alternated between running her hand up and down my arm and playing with the ends of my hair. It was nice to just sit there and let her hold me, to show me that she cared and that she was there for me. It was amazing to have her arms around me as well, tight and keeping me grounded, with her lovely smell filling my nostrils with every inhale. But I knew that it had to end at some point so with great reluctance I began to pull away. Kim’s arms tightened around me for a moment before retracting and letting me go. I cleared my throat and gave her a small smile, “I’m just going to clean this mess up.” I waved my hand around my face, which probably was smeared with mascara.

            Kim rolled her eyes at me, cupping my face lightly with her hand. My breath caught in the back of my throat as her thumb gently caressed my cheek. “There’s no way you could ever look like a mess, you’re always beautiful.”

            My cheeks heat up as my heart begins to pound, but I can’t seem to look away from Kim. Her eyes are like molten chocolate, with flecks of gold sprinkled in, luring me in. My eyes flutter down to her lips briefly and I can’t help but swipe my tongue across my own. When I look back up Kim’s eyes are lowered. I inhale sharply and open my mouth, to say what I don’t know and may never know because at that moment the door downstairs slams shut and Kim’s mom calls out her name.

            I shoot away from Kim, my cheeks flushing as I realize that I had been prepared to kiss her. “I-I’m going to the-the bathroom.”

            I stumble to my feet and make my way to the door. I am just out in the hallway when Kim calls out, “Third door on your right!”

            I practically sprint to the bathroom and as soon as the door is closed I press my forehead into it. I’m an idiot. I had been ready to kiss her. I bite my lip as I reply the moment in my mind and wonder, what if Kim felt the same way? She had said I was always beautiful and had been caressing my cheek. Had she been looking at my lips too? I shake my head. No, she hadn’t because that was wishful thinking. Kim was straight. Very straight and very much crushing on the resident red ranger. There’s no way that someone like Kim would go for someone like _me_. I’m a mess and she’s just perfection personified.

            I push off the door and go over to sink, turning the faucet on before I bring my eyes up to look at my reflection. I cringe, yeah there’s no way Kim liked me especially when I looked like this; she had just said that to be a good friend. My eyes are red rimmed and mascara is smudged around my eyes, making me look like an angry raccoon. I look around before grabbing some toilet paper, wetting it I begin to wash away the mascara tracks. Once they are all gone I cup some water in my hand and bring it up to my face, basking in its coolness.

I just need to get over this crush, I have too much to worry about. Besides she’s my best friend and there’s no way I can jeopardize that relationship. I need to just relax and enjoy having Kim around without reading into everything. I nod at myself and leave the bathroom. When I make it to Kim’s room she has put the donut box on her bed and is happily munching on one as she chats with her mom, who is sitting at Kim’s desk chair.

“Hello Mrs. Hart,” I say as I sit on the edge of Kim’s bed.

Mrs. Hart throws me a bright smile and stands, opening her arms, “Trini! I’ve missed you, come give me a hug! And how many times have I told you to call me Carry?”

I smile and stand, giving her the hug she’s requested. I’ve been over Kim’s house a few times and Mrs. Hart has been noting but nice to me every time I come over. “Sorry, force of habit … Carry. I, uh, I’ve been fine.”

Mrs. Hart pulled back but kept her hands on my shoulders, studying my face, “When a girl says she’s fine she is anything but fine. What’s wrong? Is someone being mean? Do I need to intimidate some punks? Call some parents?”

I can’t contain the smile that overtakes my face. Mrs. Hart cares for me in the way a mother should care for a daughter, the way that my mom doesn’t. It’s nice to have someone want to stand up for me and fight away the bullies in my life. “No, no punks. I’ve just been having some trouble with my parents.”

“Oh? What’s wrong?” Concern was written all over her face as she sat me down on the bed before taking a seat next to me, causing Kim to have to move over with a huff.

“Mom you shouldn’t pry, she probably doesn’t want to tell you,” Kim scolds.

“No, no she’s fine I don’t mind telling her.” Mrs. Hart is nice and she should know that the girl her daughter has been hanging out with is gay in case she wants to protect her from such an abomination. “I recently came out to my parents and they haven’t taken it too well, it’s just been getting to me I guess.” I shrug my shoulders to down play it and pick at some non-existent lint on my jeans.

“Oh Trini,” Mrs. Hart coos, her arm wrapping around my shoulder, “I am so sorry. I know that nothing I can say will make up for the way your parents have reacted but I want you to know that this house is a safe space. You can always come here, no matter the time. You will always be welcome, even if you just need to get away for a little while. Ok? You can come even when Kim isn’t here, we can talk or you can just be on it that’s what you want.”

I fight back the tears that want to fall because I refuse to cry again. I wrap my hands around Mrs. Hart’s waist and hug her, “Thank you so much.”

We stay like that for a moment and Mrs. Hart drops a kiss on my head and I unwind myself from her, “There’s no need to thank me, you’re a great person Trini. Now eat your donuts, they’ll cheer you up!” I let out a laugh and grab the donut I had nibbled on earlier. I take a bite and find that it isn’t as hard to chew and swallow. It’s still not easy, but it feels possible. Mrs. Hart laughs and stands, “Alright I left money on the counter for dinner, get some good food and have some fun! We’ll be back late, so have a goodnight ladies.”

With one final pat on my shoulder Mrs. Hart leaves the room. I take another bite of the donut, suddenly realizing how hungry I am. I am chewing on it when Kim stands. “Alright let’s get started on our movie night, I figured we’d go down to the basement since it has a bigger TV?”

I smile around the mouthful of donut and Kim lets out a giggle at my actions. She grabs the donuts and I follow her downstairs and into the kitchen, “I’m going to grab a few more snacks because I feel like we won’t be getting up for a while.”

We pick out some chips, a bag of gummy worms, and some soda. Kim’s arms are full but she refuses to let me carry anything, “All you need to do is grab the door.” She shoots me a wink and I roll my eyes.

“Fine but when you drop all that food I won’t help you pick it up.”

Somehow we make it to the basement with no disaster, “Ok I was thinking we could start out with watching Guardians of the Galaxy because I know that I want to go see the sequel but I want to re-watch the first one so that I remember all the details. I figured that we could go see the second one this weekend or something? You know since the boys are seeing it tonight. We could get dinner beforehand too, if you wanted.”

That sounds very much like a date to me, but I know that Kim couldn’t possibly mean it as a date. “That sounds like a good plan of action, but I see one problem in it.”

Kim’s eyes flash with concern, “What? What’s wrong? Do you not want to go to the movies with me? Or did you want to see it with someone else? I-”

Kim’s rambling is cute but I don’t want her to get too concerned so I cut her off, “What kind of movie night would this be if we didn’t have a fort?”

Instantly the worry slips from Kim’s face to be replaced by a large smile. “You’re right!” She skips over to a closet and pulls out a bunch of blankets, throwing them down at my feet. We quickly get to work, moving the couch and loveseat around. Finally we manipulate everything so that we have a perfect fort that incases the tv, so that the only way you could watch the movie was if you were in the fort.

We both crawl in. I am suddenly thankful for this idea because the fort is just big enough for two people to be squished inside. My entire right side is pressed against Kim and the night just becomes that much better as she intertwines our hands together, rubbing her hand back and forth against my knuckles. Using one hand she turns her PS4 on and navigates it until the movie starts up. I’m barely paying attention to the movie, even though this is one of my favorites.

I can’t help it, Kim is just so beautiful. There seems to be a permanent smile stretching across her face as the movie plays on. Her eyes are twinkling and every time she giggles I can feel it vibrate through me. At one point she turns to me, “Are you even watching?”

I feel my face heat up and my eyes flick to the screen to see Groot preemptively ripping out the battery in the jail. “Of course I’m paying attention, I just got distracted for a minute.”

From the corner of my eye I see Kim’s smile widen and a moment later she leans her head against my shoulder, “Mhmm,” she hums out.

“Shut up,” I mutter as I finally start to pay attention to the movie. It is then that I realize how for the first time in two weeks I am truly happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to update, I just got back from college so I've been busy unpacking and job hunting. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Things will be getting interesting in the next chapter! As always please leave a comment and have a lovely day!


	6. Pancakes

           I wake slowly, encased in warmth with my head resting on the softest pillow I had ever felt. I snuggled into the pillow, wanting to enjoy it while it was there. As I did something tightened around my waist causing me to furrow my brows. Groggily I opened my eyes and I couldn’t help the squeak that I let out. I was cuddling with Kim and the pillow I liked so much were her boobs. My heart rate skyrocketed as I realized that I was practically lying on top of Kim. Our legs were intertwined and I was mostly lying on her with my hands clutching her shirt by her stomach. Both of her arms were wrapped around my waist and one hand had crept under my shirt so her palm was lying across my lower back.

            I look around us and realized that we were still in the blanket fort. We had finished watching our movie before we had gone upstairs and changed into pajamas. Kim had let me borrow some old clothes of hers that were too small for her, a pair of black shorts and a pink t-shirt. We had ordered two pizzas at that point and the boxes for them were at the entrance of the blanket fort.

            Taking a deep breath I decide to allow myself one more minute. I take in the warmth and safety that Kim’s embrace brings me and allow myself to feel happiness bubble in my chest. I inhale deeply before I attempt to extract myself from Kim. I don’t get very far before Kim’s arms tighten around my waist and pull my back down on top of her, “Don’t go,” she slurs sleepily, “Five more minutes.”

            I feel my face burn as my face lies back on her boobs. “I-I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, Kim.”

            The hand that is under my shirt starts to caress the small of my back and I think I might faint. “I’m the opposite of uncomfortable, Trini,” Kim lets out a long yawn that I feel since I’m lying on top of her. I feel like every nerve ending on my body is alive and I can barely focus on anything but her hand on my back, lightly caressing me. “Please, just a little longer?” She asks. I wish I could see her face but I’m too scared to look up.

            After a moment of hesitation I nod slightly. Kim breathes out a thank you and places a gentle kiss atop my head. I think I just died a little bit because there is no way that Kimberly frickin’ Hart just kissed my head. Am I still sleeping? I must be because there is no way that Kim not only asked me to stay cuddling her, but also kissed my head. Except if this was a dream she wouldn’t have kissed my head, she would have kissed me right, on the lips. I flush as I realize that I am dreaming about Kimberly as I am cuddled up with her. I need to keep my thoughts clean.

            Suddenly I am pulled from my thoughts as my stomach lets out a loud rumble, breaking the peaceful silence. Kim lets out a giggle and I feel it vibrate through her chest, “I guess we should get up and feed you, huh?”

            I groan and bury my face in her chest, causing her to giggle even more. I release her shirt from my grasp and poke her in the stomach, “Shut up,” I mutter, my embaressment clear.

            “Don’t be embarrassed, I think it’s cute,” she whispered. She gave me another kiss on my head before sitting up. I was surprised and allowed her to bring me up with her. I had to shift so that I wouldn’t fall over and I found myself sitting in her lap.

            I finally looked at her face fort the first time this morning and my breathe catches. Her hair is mussed in a way that works for her, falling around her face in soft waves that frame her perfect jaw. There’s no makeup on her face but somehow she looks even more beautiful than normal. Her eyes sparkle with laughter and I have to force myself to tear my eyes away. I push her shoulder, “Shut up, I’m not cute.” I scramble off her lap as she lets out another giggle and it sounds like a symphony to my ears.

            “Yes you are!” she exclaims as she follows me out of our fort.  I grumble under my breath but don’t argue with her, we’ve had this argument multiple times. I make my way upstairs and into her kitchen. From behind me Kim asks, “How about we make some pancakes?”

            I snort, “Yeah how about I make the pancakes and you make the coffee, princesa.”

            I glance behind me just in time to see her gasp and grasp at her heart, “What are you trying to say, Trini?”

            I roll my eyes at her and cross my arms, leaning against the counter, “That you’re a fucking horrible cook, princesa.”

            Kim pouted and I was suddenly glad that I was leaning against the counter because my legs became jelly. How could someone be so adorable? “Hey I’m not that bad of a cook.”

            I scoff and turn towards her fridge, taking out the eggs so I don’t have to stare at that deadly pout, “Last time I was over you tried to make me pasta and you almost set your whole house on fire. Where is your mixing bowls?”

            She points to a cabinet to my left and I turn to it, opening it and finding that the bowls are on the highest shelf. I sigh and try to reach for it, rising to the tips of my toes. It’s all in vain though because I am about a foot too short to be able to reach it. I am just about to turn around to ask Kim to get the bowl for me when I feel her press against my back. I can’t hold back the gasp that escapes from my mouth as she places a hand on my hip to be able to extend up to reach for the bowl. I don’t think I breathe the entire time that she is pressed up against me.

            “Here you go,” she breathes into my ear as she places the bowl into my hands. I let out a shuddering breathe as she steps back and walks over to the pantry. I take a moment to collect myself before I grab everything else that I need, “I know that I burned the pasta, but that doesn’t mean I’m a horrible cook!”

            “Kim you can’t even make scrambled eggs without burning them!” I shoot back.

            “Fine I can’t cook! But you’re my guest so you shouldn’t have to cook breakfast!”

            I shake my head in exasperation, “I’ll cook breakfast and in return you can make the coffee and do the dishes, ok?”

            Kim lets out an exaggerated sigh, “Fine, fine! But I will eventually cook you a meal…without burning it.”

            I giggle and get to work on mixing the pancake batter. As I do so Kim sets up the coffee machine, but this only takes her a minute or two so she sits on the other side of the kitchen island and watches me work. I glance up every few minutes to find her blatantly staring at me and I feel the blush on my cheeks getting worse with every glance. Finally I am done with the batter and start to make the pancakes, causing me to turn away from Kim to work at the stove.

            The room is silent as I make the pancakes, humming quietly to myself. It is as I am flipping my first pancake that I realize something. I contemplate saying anything and decide to just go for it. I take the first pancake off and place it on the plate next to me. Instead of making another one I turn around and grip the spatula tightly. “Kim, you know that you can tell me anything, right?”

            Kim’s eyebrows shoot up suddenly and confusion and panic take over her features. “Of course I do, why?”

            My eyes dart around the room, “I just know that when girls have sleepovers that they normally talk about the boys they like and I don’t want you to feel that you can’t talk about that with me, because you can. I want you to know that you can talk about your crush on Jason.”

            There is silence for a few seconds but it feels like an eternity so I force myself to look at Kim. Her expression is priceless. She keeps opening and closing her mouth like a fish and her eyes are wide, with pink dusting across her cheeks. “I don’t like Jason!” she finally manages to squeak out.

            I sigh and grip the spatula tighter, “Kim you don’t have to lie to me, we’re best friends; you can tell me anything.”

            “Why-Why would you ever think that I like Jason? He’s like my brother!” Kim is almost frantic at this point waving her hands with a tone of desperation in her tone.

            I turn back around, unable to continue this conversation while she tries to dissuade me from what I know to be the truth. I pour more batter onto the pan and stare at it, “You guys are always whispering to each other, caught up in your own little bubble. I’ve heard both of you mention how you sneak into his room sometimes to ‘chat’,” I put air quotations around this to show my sarcasm, “Finally he’s always touching you, always putting his arm around you just putting a hand on your shoulder. It’s obvious that somethings going on between the two of you.”

            Behind me Kimberly lets out a growl, which causes me to jump and look behind me. Her face is one of pure frustration, “None of that means anything! He’s just helping me with my crush on y-” Her eyes widen and she slaps a hand over her mouth.

            I can’t help but widen my own eyes, so Kim does have a crush on someone, just not Jason. I think I would have felt better if it was Jason because then I would know that he was a decent guy and not someone who’s just trying to get into her pants. I turn around and aggressively flip over the pancake before turning back to Kim, “So who do you like then?” I raise an eyebrow, challenging her to come up with a name because I am still skeptical that it isn’t Jason.

            Kim thinks for a moment and I notice that her hands are balled into fist, her knuckles white. Her face is also flushed and her eyes are darting around the room, looking anywhere but me. “You,” she whispers, “Trini I like you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, sorry for the wait but I hope it was worth it! Have a lovely day and please leave comments, they're what keep me going. As always have a lovely day! :)


	7. Girl Power

            I blink. I don’t think I heard right because it sounded like Kim said that she liked me, which possibly can’t be true. I mean she’s Kimberly Hart, goddess, pink ranger, and just overall perfection. Plus she was totally into Jason, right? So there’s no way that she could have said that she likes _me_. “W-What?” My voice cracks and I clear my throat, “What did you say?”

            Kim takes a step towards me, but I am glued to my spot, unable to move. Her eyes are unwavering as she stares at me, “I like you,” she whispers, taking another step towards me.

            My mind whirls and I let her words sink in. Kim likes me, all those times that I thought she was unintentionally flirting with me she really was. Last night when I thought we were going to kiss and I thought it wasn’t all in my head. She wanted to be with me. Or did she? Was she confused? Did she actually want to be with me…or was she just experimenting, like Emma? Was she just going to use me to figure out if she was actually interested in girls? “Are you-” I break off as I feel tears prickle my eyes, “Are you just playing with me? Is this some kind of game?”

            The tentative smile that had been on Kim’s face since her statement suddenly drops as a frown takes over her features. For a moment I think it is because I have mistaken the Kim’s motive, but it could as well be because she thinks I figured out her plan. “What? Of course not Trini!”

            I drop my gaze, “Are you sure? Because I’ve had girls use me to experiment before Kim. I-I can’t do that again. I can’t.” I shake my head and bring my hand up to cover my eyes, hoping to hide my tears from Kim.

            Kim crosses the distance between the two of us, cupping my face. “No, Trini, no. I’m not experimenting, what I feel for you is real, you have to believe me.” She wipes the tears falling with her thumbs, but I am unable to meet her eyes. I keep my own focused to her left, staring at her kitchen island’s granite countertop. “Trini-” her voice cracks with emotion and I feel my heart clench in my chest, “Please believe me. I know what I feel and it’s not for Jason or anybody else, it’s _you_.”

            I pull away from Kim, needing to create some distance between us. Kim hesitantly steps back to let me go. I circle around the island and grip the granite tightly. “Trini this isn’t an experiment I promise! I’m bisexual! I’ve been out for a while now.” She’s waving her hands around, which I’ve noticed she tends to do when she’s trying to get her point across and is nervous.

            My head snaps up and my eyes finally connect with hers. Her mocha eyes are swimming with hurt and my chest tightens once again. I put that pain there and I feel like a jerk for questioning her sexuality. “I’m sorry Kim that was rude of me to assume…” I lower my eyes in shame, “How come you never told me?” I whisper. It’s her decision to tell anyone, but if she’s been out for a while, how come she didn’t tell me?

            Kim leans against the other side of the island so we are at eye level, but my shame keeps me from meeting hers. “I wasn’t keeping it a secret, almost everyone at school knows and I just figured that someone had told you. And if they hadn’t I figured you’d catch on to my flirting.” She winks at the end to lighten up the situation and I can’t help the blush that bursts upon my cheek.

            “But…Jason,” is all I say, my argument is weak and I know it, however I just have to make sure that she isn’t lying to me.

            Kim sighs heavily and I fear that I’ve ruined everything by questioning her further. “Like I said, there is nothing going on between Jason and I. He’s been helping me get up the courage to ask you on a date.” Now it’s Kim’s turn to look down, her cheeks becoming a lovely shade of pink that suits her. I can’t help at gape at her. Oh my god. Oh my _god_. Kim just said she wanted to go on a date. With me. I open my mouth to say something, anything, but I am so stunned that I can’t even form words. The silence stretches on and Kim bites her lip. My eyes flick down to her lips and I could just die because the girl I have been crushing on for months just admitted that she wants to go on a date with me and now she’s biting her wonderfully amazing lips.

            “I’m sorry that I made you uncomfortable, can we just forget all about this? You’re my best friend and I don’t want to ruin that just because I have feelings for you and you don’t feel the same way. I can act normal I promise. And if you want to put some distance between us I totally understand. I’m so-”

            I reach across the island and grab her hand, stopping her rant. “Kim, breathe. I don’t want to forget, I’m just lost for words. I mean Kimberly Hart wants to go on a date with me? It’s a little hard to believe.”

            She brings her other hand up to cup mine with both hands, gripping it tightly, “Don’t say that, Trini. I’m not unattainable, especially for you. God, Trini, you’re amazing. I could go on for hours about how perfect you are. You are literally the smartest person I know, besides Billy, but he’s pretty much a genius. You’re so compassionate and caring, always taking care of me and the team and putting us first. And god you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met. You’re smile can light up a room and don’t even get me started on your eyes, I could literally get lost in them. And if you don’t believe me ask Jason, I’ve spent hours telling him how amazing. So please don’t think that wouldn’t want to be with you, because I do, so bad.”

            I open my mouth but I don’t get a word out before Mrs. Hart is running into the room. “Girls! Don’t you smell the smoke?!?” My eyes widen and I look around Kim to see that the pancake I had been making is on fire. Mrs. Hart pushes Kim aside, breaking our hands apart. She grabs the handle of the pan with a dish towel and throws everything into the sink, quickly turning the tap on. The water makes quick work of the flames and soon all three of us are left standing, staring at the smoking pan. “What happened?” Mrs. Hart demands, her eyes bouncing between the two of us.

            Kim cuts in before I can say anything, “I’m so sorry, Mom. I was trying to make Trini breakfast…I really should just give up on cooking.”

            Mrs. Hart sighs, wrapping Kim in a quick hug. She surprises me by coming over to me next and hugging me as well. When she unwraps her arms from around me and sends Kim a pointed look, “Kim you should know better by now! I loved that pan!” She looks at me with a raised eyebrow, “And you Trini, you should know not to let Kim cook after she tried to make you pasta!”

            I can’t contain the small smile that slips onto my face, “I’m sorry, Mrs – Carry, I won’t let it happen again.”

            Mrs. Hart shakes her head at us and glances at the microwave. “It’s getting late, you girls go get cleaned up and pick something up on the way to school. You don’t have time to try and make more pancakes and make it to Saturday detention.”

            I see Kim’s eyes widen, “Oh my god! I forgot about detention!” She raced around the island and grabbed my hand, “Come on Trini! We’ve gotta hurry!”

            I roll my eyes at Mrs. Hart, causing her to laugh, as Kim practically drags me upstairs. I stumble up the stairs behind her and into her room. She stops and turns around abruptly when we are standing in her room. She turns around quickly, nearly giving me whiplash at her sudden change in movement. “So will you go on a date with me? Because my mom interrupted us downstairs and I never got your answer.”

            She is chewing on her lip and her fingers are playing with the hem of her shirt. “Of course I want to, princesa.”

            A smile stretches across her face and suddenly I have an armful of pink ranger in my hands. Kim grips me tightly and buries her face in my hair while I rest my head on her shoulder. We stay like that for a moment before Kim jerks back, “We need to get ready quickly!”

            I giggle as she rushes over to her dresser and begins to pull clothes out. “Can I borrow one of your shirts?”

            If it’s possible Kim’s smile gets even wider, “Of course!” She is nearly bouncing with excitement as she digs through her drawers. A moment later she pops up excitedly, holding a pink t-shirt. I immediately recognize it because it’s one of Kim’s favorites. It’s a simple V-neck with the works ‘Girl Power’ written in bold across the front. “Is this okay?” Kim looks hesitant, probably scared I’ll reject it because the boys will definitely know that it’s hers. Or maybe it’s because I’ll be wearing her color out in public.

            I walk forward and take the shirt from her hands, “It’s perfect. I’m just going to change in the bathroom.” I send a quick smile her way before I grab my bag from the corner and quickly make my way to the bathroom.

            Fifteen minutes later I emerge from the bathroom changed into my jeans from yesterday and Kim’s shirt. The shirt is slightly too big on me, the V dipping a little deeper than it would on Kim, but not scandalously low so it’s fine. I brushed my teeth, using the toothbrush I always keep in my bad and had done my signature hair style where I braid one side and leave the rest to flow down. I had fretted for a few minutes over my make-up, but it turned out as it normally did. I knock on Kim’s door and wait for her to tell me it’s ok to come in, just in case she is still changing.

            When she does call out I find her sitting on her bed looking at her phone. She too is dressed in a pair of jeans, with a black tank top that shows off her delicious biceps. I ogle them for a moment, taking in the way they flex slightly as she moves. I tear my eyes away when I catch a flash of yellow and find my yellow beanie on her head. My heart flutters as I see her wearing my color. To mask this I raise my eyebrow at her and giver her my signature smirk. She doesn’t seem to notice though as her eyes rake up and down my body. “You, uh, look good,” her voice cracks and she finally meets my eyes and I notice the slight flush on her cheeks, “You should keep the shirt, it looks better on you.”

            “Oh yeah?” She nods and I take a step closer, “Well you can wear my beanie, but you can’t keep it.” She pouts and I melt because my god how can someone be both incredibly sexy and so damn adorable at the same time? I turn around and grab my bomber jacket from her chair, throwing it on. “Come on, we need to get going.”

            She sighs, standing and grabbing her leather jacket. “Ok, ok.”

           

            Ten minutes later we are parking outside of Krispy Kreme once again. I am just reaching for Charlie’s door when Kim pops out of nowhere and opens it for me. I step out of the car and lightly push her shoulder, “You totally just used your powers in public!”

            She grins, “So? No one’s around, besides I had to be quick to beat you to the door.”

            I roll my eyes and begin to walk to the door. I have only made it about two feet when I feel Kim’s hand slip into mine and her intertwine our hands, “Is this ok?” she asks quietly.

            “Yeah, it’s perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Thought I would give you a little fluff at the end because I have some angst coming up soon... Anyways! Have a lovely day! And thank you for all the comments on the last chapter, it really motivated to me to write this one! :)


	8. Morning

I sigh and stare up at the ceiling of my room, glaring into the darkness. It’s only five in the morning, but I can’t get back to sleep. I’ve been lying here for a good hour already just praying for sleep to take me to no avail. I take a deep breath as I think about the previous day. After Kim and I had grabbed some breakfast at Krispy Kreme we had gone to detention. I honestly didn’t need to go to detention, I’d never gotten in trouble at Angel Grove, however all the other Rangers were there so I went as well. The teacher who supervised detention, Mr. Carlson, was my English teacher and liked me so he didn’t care that I was there as long as I didn’t cause any trouble.

Normally I just did my homework during detention, but this time I barely got any done because Kim and I were passing notes the entire time. We talked about everything under the sun and I was glad that pushed off my history homework, no matter how much I would regret it tonight. After detention we all went back to the ship and trained for a few hours. Afterwards everyone went home. Kim had offered to give me a ride home, however I still hadn’t told her I was living on the ship so I told her that I was just going to stay longer to do some Tai Chi. I had actually done Tai Chi before I went to bed so it wasn’t a complete lie, but it still left me feeling guilty that I was lying to the rangers, or at least omitting the truth from them.

I brought a hand up to rub my face as the guilt came back full force. I know that I need to tell the rangers eventually that I’m not living at home, but I know that a part of me is hoping that my parents will come around and I can go back home. Maybe…maybe I could go home and see if they’ve changed their mind. See if the distance from me has caused them to realize that they love me more than they hate that I’m gay. I sit up and nod to myself. Yes, I’m going to do it. I’m going to go to the house. I get up and walk to my wardrobe, pulling out a pair of skinny jeans and my favorite Marvel t-shirt that had the Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Captain America on the front of it. After putting it all on I braid the side of my hair after brushing it out. I am out of the ship in fifteen minutes. The only person that will be up is my father since he’s an early riser, but I feel like he’ll be easier to get to talk to me.

Before I know it I am standing in front of my house, the light just beginning to rise over the horizon, casting everything in a beautiful light. The dew on the grass sparkles and the birds are beginning to chirp, creating the atmosphere of a perfect morning. My hands are shaking as I step onto the porch. For the first time since I decided that this was a good idea I question my decision. What if they can never get over my sexuality? I roll my shoulders and try to shake this thought off as I grab the handle and open the door. I quietly step inside, feeling like I am intruding. I walk as quietly as possible to the kitchen, where I know that my father likes to sit and drink his coffee as he reads the newspaper.

As I step in the kitchen I feel my heart begin to speed up as my father come into view. I hadn’t realized how much I missed him until now and I yearn to just throw myself into his arms and hug him forever. I clear my throat and quietly mutter “Dad.”

He goes tense as he realizes that I am in the room and then suddenly he is up and crossing the room. I flinch back, thinking that he is about to slap me like Mom had, however instead he pulls me into a tight hug. I feel my lip quiver but I hold back tears as I burry my face into his chest and just clutch his shirt. We stay like this for a minute, in this tight embrace. When we finally pull back my father surveys my appearance. “Mija, I’ve missed you so much! Where have you been sleeping? Have you been eating? You seem thinner. I’m so sorry, mija, for how I reacted, please forgive me. I love you so much.” As my father speaks tears appear in his eyes and they silently fall down his cheeks. I am stunned because in my seventeen years of life I have never seen my father cry, not once.

“I…I forgive you, I know that it was a lot to take in,” I pause for a moment, “And it wasn’t really you who was so…”

“Homophobic,” he says, “I’ve been researching this a lot, I want to understand you better so I’ve…I’ve been reading up how to accept that your child is gay. And I realize now how badly your mother and I reacted and I am so sorry mija, I will never forgive myself for how we treated you.”

I give him a watery smile, “Thank you, Dad. It means a lot to me.” He ushers me to the kitchen table as he pours me a mug of coffee. He hands it to me before sitting across from me. “Does this mean I can come home?” I ask hesitantly.

My father lets out a long sigh and runs his hand down his face. “I’m trying mija, I’m trying so hard. I’ve wanted you to come home since the moment we found out you were gone. But your mother…” his shoulders slump and I feel all the hope that was bubbling in my chest since my father hugged me dissipate, “Your mother is very set in her ideas and I’ve been trying to get her to come around, but it’s just not working. I had to fight with her to not shut down your phone. She won’t even let me discuss letting you come home yet.”

I tighten my hands into fists because I know what this means. It means that my mother will never accept me. She is a very narrow-minded person and once she decides something that’s it. She doesn’t waver, she doesn’t second guess herself. So if she’s decided that she hates me and doesn’t want me in her house then that’s it. I glance at the clock on the wall and see that it is already seven twenty. “I should get going then,” I say reluctantly, “I don’t want to be here when she wakes up.”

My father’s face drops and suddenly he looks ten years older, “Please, Trini, don’t give up. I will get your mother to change her mind. Everything will be fine, ok?”

I give my father a weak smile and stand, going around the kitchen table to place a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you,” I mutter. I leave without looking back. As soon as I am out the door I break into a run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter but I plan on updating again really soon. Hope you enjoyed it. Have a lovely day and as always please leave comments!


	9. Don't Give Up

            I am shaking with anger, I curl my hands into fists to try and stop the shaking but it is to no avail. Half way here my sadness had converted into anger. Anger at my mother for not accepting me. Anger at my father for not pushing harder for me to go home. Anger at not being able to see or hug my little brothers. Anger at the entire situation. Now it is boiling red hot within me and I needed to get it out, so that’s why I came here. I have to control my strength as I knock on the door. I know that in my current state I could easily knock the door down.

            I pace back and forth as I wait, breathing heavily as I do so. I spin around as the door creeks open and Zach steps out with a smile on his face. “Crazy girl!”

            “Can we go to the mine?” I ask curtly.

            The smile drops from Zach’s face as he begins to sense the anger radiating off of me. Worry flashes across his face before he turns around and calls out to his mother in Chinese. Once he is done he shuts the door and nods at me. I break into a run towards the mine, which is thankfully only a five minute walk from Zach’s house, which means at full sprint we are there in about a minute and a half. I lead him to the area that we like to have fires and camp out at. We have collected a bunch of logs and stumps to work as chairs and I motion for Zach to have a seat on one as I resume my pacing.

            “Trini, what’s going on?” he asks quietly.

            “Me! That’s what’s the matter!” I yell. I am so angry I barely register Zach’s flinch at my raised voice. “I’m gay! I’m an abomination! I’m disgusting! I’m a monster!” I let loose a scream as I bring my leg back and kick one of the stumps. It flies through the air until it hits a tree and shatters into splinters. I let loose a laugh, “I came out to my parents, you know? And they didn’t take it well at all. Aliens attack the town? Ok, whatever let’s move on with life. Our daughter is gay? We can’t deal with that. Slap her. Tell her that she’s not your daughter. Call her an abomination. Don’t let her eat with the family or talk with your other children because she could lead them to a life of sin!”

            I go to another one of the stumps and lift it with one arm. Bringing it back I toss it at a large stone about fifty feet away, letting loose a loud yell of frustration as I do so. This one explodes as well and I feel the knot of anger loosen a little as I am finally get all my frustration out. “So I leave. I pack all my things and move into the ship because how can I live in a house where I’m not wanted? Where they despise me? I live there for two weeks! Two weeks! And I finally gather the courage this morning to go back home and talk to my Dad. He apologizes, ‘Oh Trini I’m so sorry’ he says, ‘I shouldn’t have reacted like that’ he says. But when I ask him if I can come back home, what does he say? That my mother won’t even consider it! To ‘not worry, everything will be ok! BULLSHIT! It’s not ok! I don’t have a home! How is that ok? How?!?”

            My energy suddenly dissipates and I sink to the ground, defeated. I don’t dare to look at Zach, too scared to see pity swimming in his eyes. A heartbeat later arms are wrapping around me, hugging me so tightly it almost hurts. I grip him just as tightly, burying my face into his chest as he rocks us. I don’t cry, probably because I’ve shed so many tears over this already. Between crying with Kim and almost every night I’m just spent.

            Zach gently rocks us until my breathing normalizes before hesitantly pulling back. I’m surprised to see no pity in his eyes, just worry and sadness. “Trini I am so sorry,” he waits for me to meet his eyes before he goes on, “I can’t understand what you’re going through, but I promise to get you through it, Trini. I promise, we’re going to get through this, ok?”

            I sigh, “I don’t know if I will, Zach. I’m just so tired of it all, you know?”

            Zach grabs my shoulders and grips them tightly, “Don’t say that. You are the strongest person I know. You bitch-slapped Rita into space. You beat every ranger in a one-on-one fight, every time. You have to keep fighting. For me, for Kim, for all of the rangers. What would you’re brothers do if you gave up, Trini? How would they feel? Please, don’t give up.”

            I realize that Zach is right. I have to think about the other rangers, what would they do if I gave up? They wouldn’t be able to create the Megazord and they would be down a ranger in a fight. And my brothers, they don’t deserve to lose me. I may not be able to see them or hug them, but they know that I’m out there somewhere and I won’t take that away from them. I nod, “You’re right, I can’t give up.”

            Zach lets out a sigh of relief and pulls me into a bone-crushing hug. “So have you really been living in the ship?” he asks me quietly.

            I let out a sigh, “Yeah, it’s actually not that bad. The beds really comfy.”

            “You know you could’ve come to me right? I know I don’t really have room for you but we could make it work. Or you could’ve gone to any of the other rangers, I know they would let you stay with them.”

            I pull back from the hug and lean on the log behind us, “I know, but I would have felt like a burden going to any of you. Besides I don’t want to intrude on you guys. I like the ship, I swear it’s really not that bad.”

            Zach gently pushes my shoulder, “You are not a burden, Trini. I swear. Why don’t you come stay with me?”

            I shake my head, “No, I couldn’t do that. Besides…I kinda like sleeping on the ship.”

            Zach rolls his eyes at me, but stops trying to persuade me to stay with them. We sit in silence for a moment, just enjoying each other’s presence. However this doesn’t ask long because Zach suddenly straightens, “Wait does anybody know that you’re staying on the ship?”

            I roll my eyes and shake my head, “Yes my parents know that I’m staying on an alien ship. Of course not, you’re the only person that knows.”

            “Wait, so you haven’t even told Kim?”

            “Why would you automatically assume that Kim would know?” Zach just raises an eyebrow at me and I advert my gaze from him as I feel myself blush. “She…she knows that I came out to my parents and that they didn’t take it well, but I may have omitted the fact that I am living in the ship.”

            Zach just shakes his head at me and guilt runs through my veins. I know I should tell her, and the other rangers, but I just can’t. I don’t want them to pity me or look at me differently. I don’t want them to treat me any differently and I fear that they will if I tell them. I glance at Zach and find him staring at Angel Grove, the skyline of the tiny town we saved. “Please don’t tell them…I know I will have to eventually but I just…I can’t. Not yet.”

            He holds up his hands, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Only…” he pauses for a minute and glances at me mischievously and I fear my heart stutter as I fear what his condition will be, “Only if we go put together my mom’s bed now.” I let out a breath that I hadn’t realized I was holding and Zach smirks at me, knowing the panic he just caused.

            I shove him, “Jerk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two in one day! Here's the next chapter. As always enjoy, have a lovely day and please leave comments!


	10. Douche bags and Phone Calls

           I sigh as I lean up against the lockers across from my homeroom, which is unfortunately locked. I had woken up at 3 am this morning, unable to get back to sleep. Giving up I had sparred with some putties and then done tai chi on the mountain until 7 am. I had walked to school, only to find that I beat my homeroom teacher. I had wasted a few minutes going to get an apple from the cafeteria, but the homeroom bell didn’t even go off for another forty minutes, so I imagine I have another twenty before Mr. Larson shows up.

            I pull my phone out of my pocket and type in my passcode, which I recently changed to the date of when we found the power coins. My plan is to go scroll through twitter and Instagram but I am pleasantly surprised to find that I have a few texts. I have two from Kim and one from Zach. I decide to read his first.

**Zach (7:03 am): Thanks again for helping me out yesterday! Don’t forget you can always crash at my house**

            I smile down at my phone as I recall putting the bed frame together. It was quite the experience, Zach literally had little to no idea how to do any of it so I did most of the work while he just stared at me in wonder as if I was performing magic. I had stayed a while after that and had dinner with his mom and him. I always enjoyed talking to Zach’s mother because she was always so nice and kind, telling me embarrassing stories of Zach from when he was younger. I type a quick text back.

**To Zach (7:09 am): No problem, I had fun**

            I bite my lip as I look at Kim’s texts and fight back the smile that is slowly taking over my face.

**Princesa (7:01 am): Good morning beautiful ;)**

**Princesa (7:05 am): Have you left for school yet? I was thinking I could pick you up if you’d like? XOXO**

            I can’t help the giggle that slips past my lips and I quickly look around to make sure no one was around to hear it. Can’t have anyone knowing that a simple good morning text has turned me into a giggling schoolgirl. When I’m sure no one is around I stop trying to contain my grin and let it stretch across my face.

**To Princesa (7:10 am): Good morning, princesa. I’m actually already at school**

            I read over the text a few times and hit send. I open up Twitter on my phone to busy myself as I wait for Kim to reply, but I didn’t need to because the app is barely finished loading when my phone buzzes. I quickly switch back to my messages.

**Princesa (7:10 am): What?!? What do you wake up at the crack of dawn?**

            I shake my head a little before typing out my reply.

**To Princesa (7:11 am): Pretty much, my internal clock wakes me up pretty early…plus I usually do Tai Chi at the mines before I go to school.**

            I don’t bother to switch to Twitter because I see that Kim has read my text and the little three dots appear to show that she is already typing.

**Princesa (7:12 am): You’re crazy…but I missed you yesterday so I’m heading to school now even though it’s WAY too early ;) lol**

            My heart begins to beat faster and my cheeks flush as I reread the text a few times because Kim just admitted that she missed me. And on top of that she’s coming to school early to see me. My fingers hover over the screen as I think of something to say but I am interrupted when someone clears their throat in front of me. I jump slightly and curse myself for not being aware of my surroundings, with my increased senses I should have noticed someone approaching, but I was so engrossed in texting Kim that I didn’t.

            I lock my phone as I look up. I frown when I find a guy that I’ve never seen in front of me, leaning against the lockers in a similar fashion to me. He is much taller than me, but that’s not hard to accomplish since I’m only 5’1”. If I had to guess I’d say he’s probably around 6’, putting him a whole head taller than me. He’s lean and has slight stubble dusting his cheeks, something that most girls probably swoon at. Along with this he has gelled his hair to the side slightly and a confident smirk stretches across his face. He’s wearing a letterman jacket and the overall vibe he’s giving off is that he’s a fuckboy.

            “May I help you?” I spit out at him, not interested in anything he has to say.

            His smirk doesn’t falter at my harsh tone, “You can actually,” he takes a slight step forward and I stand straight, refusing to back down, “You can wear my jersey on Friday at the football game and then join me at the after-party where I’ll show you the time of your life.” He sends in a wink at the end that has me shuddering in disgust. Does he think I find that attractive?

            “Uh no thanks, I’ve got much better things to be doing. Like watching paint dry,” I’m hoping that my snark will deter him but it seems I’m not that lucky.

            “Oh c’mon, I promise you’ll have a _great_ time once I work my magic,” he wiggles his eyebrows and I have to hold back a shudder of horror.

            Instead I roll my eyes at him and scoff, “First of all, you’re not my type; second of all I don’t even know your name.”

            “I can fix that, I’m Mike Jackson, new quarterback of the football team. I think you should really reevaluate you’re ‘type’ because I know for a fact that every other girl in this school would do anything to be in your position right now. Besides you’re nobody, imagine the popularity you would get for being seen with _me_.” Oh my god, where did this guy come from? He probably fits every stereotype of a high school jock that I have ever heard.

            He brings his hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear and I flinch away. This doesn’t deter him and he starts to do it anyway so I swat his hand away, “Oh feisty, I like that.”

            “Yeah me too,” Kim says as she comes up to us and stands shoulder to shoulder with me. She puts a hand out and gives Mike a shove, sending him stumbling back a few steps, “Go away, Mike, Trini doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

            Mike straightens his jacket and glares at Kim, “This has nothing to do with you Hart.”

            Kim takes a step forward, squaring her shoulder as if preparing for a fight, “Actually Trini’s my best friend and I heard her tell you she wasn’t interest, so get lost before I make you.” A warm feeling spreads through my chest as Kim defends me from this douche. I could easily do it myself, but it’s nice to know that someone cares enough to do it for me.

            Mike glares at Kim for a moment before sending a smirk my way, “I’ll talk to you later, babe.” He sends me a wink before striding away. Kim follows Mike with her eyes, her jaw clenched tightly, only relaxing as he turns the corner. Once he is gone the anger slides off her face and she turns towards me, bringing her hand up and gently caressing my cheek. I lean my head against her palm as her soft eyes search my face.

            “Are you okay?” she whispers. Her brows are furrowed slightly with worry and I laugh lightly at her worry.

            “You know I could have handled him, right? There’s no reason to worry.” I bring my hand up, holding it in the air hesitantly for a moment before I cautiously place it on her hip.

            Kim lets out a light sigh and a blush spreads across her cheeks and it is then that I realize how close our faces are. I’m a good five or six inches shorter than her, but all it would take to kiss right now is for me to lean up on my toes. Without thinking my eyes drop from hers down to her lips. They turned up slightly in a shy smile, glistening slightly with lip gloss. I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from her lips as she parts them slightly and her tongue peeks out to wet them. I shudder as my eyes follow the path of her tongue and I rip my eyes away from that wnderous view to meet her eyes once more.  

            I blush as her eyes dance with amusement along with something else that I can’t place. I could easily get lost in the depths of those mocha eyes, and I almost miss what she says. “I know that you can handle yourself it’s just that, uh, that he was,” she lets out a frustrated sigh as her eyes dart away from my own, “He was flirting with you and I…I was jealous.”

            I can’t help the laugh that overtakes me and I lean forward, resting my head on Kim’s shoulder as I shake with amusement. Kim’s arms wrap around me, hugging me close. “Trini,” she whines and I don’t have to look up to know that she’s probably as red as a tomato with embarrassment.

            I pull back slightly and she loosens her arms, but doesn’t release me so are faces are only a few inches apart. My laughing dies down but I still have a smile plastered on my face as I bring a hand up and tuck her hair behind her ear, “Kim there’s no reason to be jealous. If you haven’t noticed I’ve got an embarrassingly large crush on you. There’s no reason to worry.”

            I know I said the right thing when Kim grins and leans down to place a kiss on my forehead. Her lips linger for a moment before she pulls away, unlooping her arms from around me. My skin burns where her lips touched and I have to hold back from touching my forehead. Kim takes a few steps away and it is then that I realize that she had placed her bag a few feet down the hall. She picks it up now and slips it on her shoulder as she leans down and grabs something else as well. She turns towards me and I find her holding a tray of drinks and a bag. “I figured if I couldn’t pick you up I could at least get you some breakfast.”

            I smile and grab the iced tea from the tray, “Thank you, but you didn’t have to do that. You shouldn’t waste your money on me.”

            Kim playfully rolls her eyes at me, “I don’t have to, but I _want_ to. I’m trying to court you, Trini. I want to woo you by picking you up for school and bringing you flowers randomly. I want to walk you to your classes and carry your books for you. I want to prove to you how much I care for you because I do and I want you to have no doubt about it. So get used to it.”

            I feel like my heart is going to burst from my chest at how fast it is beating. I don’t think anyone has cared for me as much as Kim. Every bit of me is screaming at me to kiss her and I am just taking a step forward to do just that when Zach’s voice rings out in the hallway, ruining the moment.

            “Is that Krispy Kreme?” he yells from down the hall. I groan as his feet slap against the ground as he rushes towards us. “Let me see,” he says, trying to grab the bag from Kim’s hand. She glares at him and smacks him in the face. He blinks, surprised at Kim’s actions before continuing to try and grab the bag. “C’mon, Kim, be nice and share!”

            She punches him in the stomach, not too hard but enough to be a warning, “Cut it out Zach, there’s only a muffin and it’s for Trini.”

            She smiles at me and hands me the bag. I reach into it and pull out the muffin, sending Zach a smug look as I take a bite of it. Jason and Billy wordlessly join us, watching in amusement as Zach stomps his foot like a child and sticks his tongue out at me. “How come you only got Trini breakfast and not anybody else?” Zach whines.

            Kim rolls her eyes at Zach’s childlike behavior and takes a step towards me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I feel myself blush and try to hide it by taking another bite of my muffin. Its blueberry, my favorite. “Because I’m trying to date Trini, not you guys.”

            It was a mistake to take a bite of the muffin because now my face is scarlet and I’m choking. I cough to dislodge the bit of muffin in my throat, bending over slightly as I do so. The arm Kimberly had around my shoulder slides down as she hits my back a few times to try and help me. Finally the muffin makes its way down my throat and I take a hearty sip of the iced tea that Kim had gotten me. When I look up I find Zach leaning against Billy as he holds his stomach, nearly doubled over with laughter. “Oh-oh my god. Your face! Priceless! I wish I ha-had gotten that on camera!” Another wave of laughter takes over Zach and he brings his hand up to wipe away his tears. I take a step forward, bringing my leg back and kicking him in the shin, hard.

            Now he’s really doubled over, clutching at his shin instead of his stomach, a groan of pain overtaking his laughter. I step back and resume my place at Kim’s side, where she wraps her arm around me once again. I smirk down at Zach as I feel Kim’s laughter against my side. I just smirk and take another bite of my muffin.

            Jason just shakes his head and rolls his eyes at Zach and I. He sends a smile to me and Kim, “So you two finally admitted to your feelings for one another?”

            I glance at Kim and find her eyes on me, “Yeah I finally worked up the guts to say something to this one only for her to not believe me.”

            She playfully bumps hips with me and I glance down, still ashamed at assuming Kim’s sexuality and questioning her feelings. “Are you kidding me?” Jason says incredulously, “She never shuts up about you! It’s always, ‘Did you see what Trini was wearing, she’s so pretty,’ or ‘Trini’s so smart she’s taking 5 A.P. classes!’ or ‘Trini just has the most kissable lips.’ I have spent multiple hours on the phone with Kim as she waxed poetic about you, I was getting ready to lock you two in a room until one of you said something.”

            Besides me Kim groans and buries her head in my hair. I smirk, “Waxing poetic, huh?”

            Kim lets out a sigh of relief as the homeroom bell goes off, stopping any further teasing. The guys throw goodbyes over their shoulders as they make their way to their own homerooms, but Kim lingers for a minute. “Is-Is Saturday a good day for our date?” She asks hesitantly, keeping her face buried in my hair, “I’m sure Jason wouldn’t mind if we skipped training and we can go after we get out of detention. Only if that’s ok with you?”

            I turn to wrap my arms around her waist so that we are hugging and place my head in the crook of her neck. Kim shudders as I say, “That sounds perfect, where are we going?”

            Kim gives a sigh of relief and places a kiss atop my head before untangling from me, “You’ll find out on Saturday!” she quickly jogs away as I groan.

            I shake my head with a small smile, just about to head into my homeroom when my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out of my pocket to find a random number calling me. I frown as I hit the answer button, “Hello? Who is this?”

            “Trini!” Two voices call out simultaneously, “It’s Mateo and Jaime!”

            I feel my breath catch in my throat, I haven’t heard their voices in weeks. “Mateo? Jaime? What’s going on?” Panic bubbles in my chest as I worry that something has happened, that they’re somehow in danger or that our mother has hurt them somehow. “Are you okay?”

            “We’re fine,” Mateo says, “We miss you.” I feel my heart clench because I’ve missed them too. I’ve missed them so much and I am constantly worried about them.

            “I miss you guys too,” I say, my voice breaking.

            “We want to see you,” this time it is Jaime talking.

            “I want to see you guys too, but Mom doesn’t want me seeing you guys and I don’t want you guys to get in trouble.”

            “We’ve got a plan!” Mateo exclaims excitedly, “There’s a play at school on Thursday and we told Mom that we’re going. You can meet us at school and we’ll leave the play to go see you. We’ll just have to watch the time so we’re back in time for the end of the play and for Mom to pick us up. Will you come Trini, please?”

            The warning bell goes off and I wish that I had more time to speak with them. “Of course I’ll come, I’ll meet you guys at the back entrance, okay? I have to go now or I’ll be late for class. I love you guys, don’t forget that, okay?”

            “We love you too,” they say in unison. I fight back tears as I hang up the phone and head into my homeroom. I get to see my brothers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for making you wait so long, I finally got a job and have been busy with that. As always have a lovely day and please leave comments! :)


	11. Little One

           I sit in the cafeteria, surrounded by the other rangers. But with how far I am in my thoughts I could be in the lost city of Atlantis for all I know. My mind has been whirling since the brief call with my brothers this morning. Why had they decided to contact me now, after I’d been gone for two weeks? Was it because they were getting worried that I wouldn’t come back? Did they fear that something had happened to me, did they stay up at night, whispering about what is going on? And how had they gotten in touch with me? They didn’t have phones and the number was unknown, so whose phone were they using? Did they even know why I was kicked out? Had mom or dad told them that I was gay and did they even understand what that means? I mean they are only ten years old.

            But another part of me was growing in fear that my mother had put them up to this. That she had told them to contact me, to lure me out. That she wanted to catch me and…do what? Send me to one of those gay conversion camps? Berate me some more? I know these thoughts are ludicrous because my brothers love me and wouldn’t sell me out… but they also love our mother, so I’m not sure what to think. Besides my mother made it pretty clear she didn’t want to see me, so logically I knew this was a stretch. But I’m not thinking logically because I’ve been getting three to four hours of sleep a night, tops, and spending the rest of my time throwing myself into training or my schoolwork to try and keep my mind occupied.

            I push around the corn on my tray to keep up the appearance that I am eating. I know if any of my friends are truly watching that this won’t slip by them, but it is the last thing on my mind. A soft sigh escapes and I glance down at my phone, staring at the picture on my lock screen. The photo was from a few months ago, before I was a ranger. I had taken the boys to the park one day and afterwards we had stopped for ice cream, they had been ecstatic. They had raced each other to see who could eat theirs the fastest. Mateo had ended up winning, but in the end both had ice cream all over their faces. Mateo’s was covered in chocolate and Jaime’s in vanilla. I was in the middle, pretending to be grossed out as they both gave me slobbery kisses, smearing ice cream onto my cheeks.

       The screen went black, the picture of the three of us fading. But it didn’t matter because it was etched behind my eyelids, seared into my memory. A wave of sadness hits me full force, pushing me back into the pit of despair that I had been living in until I opened up to Zach and Kim. I know that I need to tell someone, to talk about it. I know it will make me feel better, that it will allow me to claw my way back from the pit of despair.

        A hand squeezes my shoulder causing me to crash back into the present. I blink and look around. The table is empty, save for everyone’s lunchboxes or trays. The only person there was Kim, sitting next to me, worry swirling in her brown orbs. “Trini?”

        I frown as I look around the cafeteria, “Where did the boys go?”

        Kim sighs and her hand slips from my shoulder, “I suggested that they go get some fries.”

        She shrugged her shoulders and shifted in her seat. I furrow my brows, why had she asked the boys to leave us alone? Was she second guessing her decision about our date? Had she realized that she was way out of my league? Or had she figured out that my parents had practically disowned me and wanted nothing to do with a homeless punk like me? “W-Why?” I stutter out, fear creeping in, “Do you…are you,” I groan because I can’t seem to form a proper sentence. “Do you not want to go on our date?” I eventually manage to whisper.

         Kim’s eyes go wide and she grabs my hand that is clutching my fork like it depends on it. “No! Of course not!” She rubs her thumb across my knuckles to reassure me. I nod but I am still tense because she wants to talk about something that she doesn’t want the boys to hear. “I’m just worried…you’ve been quiet since this morning.” She bites her lip and it is then that I realize how nervous she is, “Are…are you mad at me? I understand if you are, I know I should have asked you if it was okay to tell the guys that we are going on a date. I shouldn’t have just assumed that it would be okay. I’m really sorry and I…I understand if you-”

          I squeeze her hand, causing her to cut off her ramble. “No Kim, I’m not mad that you told them, I’m actually glad you did.” A blush makes its way on to my cheeks but I force myself to maintain eye contact with her, “I don’t want to keep us, uh this, from the guys. Besides, I was happy to hear that you waxed poetic about me to Jason.”

          I hope that Kim will not ask me why I’ve actually been quiet, but I know that’s pipe dreaming. She lets out a sigh, a smile overtaking her features before it turns down in a frown. “Then what’s the matter?”

          If I wasn’t so guilt ridden for not telling her the truth I would have been touched that she picks up on my moods so well. But I can’t tell her the truth, so I tell her a partial truth. “I need to go see my dance instructor after school. I have to cancel my lessons until I get a job and can pay for them myself because my parents aren’t going to anymore.”

          Kim’s eyebrows raise and her eyes glaze over for a moment. She looks like she’s faraway somewhere else and I can’t possibly guess why. I squeeze her hand and her eyes snap back to my own, “You’re in dance?”

          I roll my eyes, “Is it so hard to believe?”

          She shakes her head, eyes wide, “No…I just didn’t expect it.” She pauses for a moment, “I would,” she clears her throat, “I wouldn’t mind seeing you dance sometime.” Her voice is a little husky and I shiver. I bite my lip and nod, ducking my head as a giddy smile takes over my face. “I do have some babysitting money from the summer, I could help you pay for some lessons until you get a job.”

          “No way. I’m not going to accept any of your money. It’s just dance, Kim. I’ll survive without it.” I love to dance, but I know that I probably won’t get to do it again. I need to get a job to earn some money because the money in my account is diminishing day by day and I need to be able to feed myself. Especially now that my appetite is slowly coming back. So I need a job for food, so even when I do get one I doubt that I’ll ever be returning to dance, no matter how much I want to. But I can’t tell any of this to Kim because I’m a chicken shit who’s too afraid to tell her the truth.

           Before Kim can try to argue with me Zach comes bounding up with a large basket of fries, placing them at the center of the table. I’m glad he’s come, but I now that his timing will soon become annoying if it continues. “I come bearing fries for everyone!” he bellows loudly as all the guys take their seats, “Everyone but Kim, because she’s mean and only gets food for Trini.”

            I glare at him, “Don’t make me kick you in the shin again Taylor.”

            He rolls his eyes at me, “Defending your ladies honor, Crazy Girl? How cute!”

           “Calm down children,” Jason scolds playfully, mockingly glaring at Zach and I, “Or else no one gets fries.”

            Billy grabs a handful from the basket and takes a bite, humming happily. “Did you guys talk about everything you needed too? Are you going to eat now Trini?”

            I felt my cheeks redden as all eyes turned to me. I huffed and grabbed some fries for myself. Very dramatically I stuffed one into my mouth, making a show of it as they all watched me. It was worth it though when Kimberly placed a kiss upon my cheek.

 

 

            I hadn’t been lying when I told Kim that I needed to go talk to my dance instructor, it just wasn’t my main cause of stress. So afterschool I found myself walking the hallways with Kim, spending a few minutes with her before I had to walk the twenty minutes to Diana’s Dance Studio.

            I placed my calculus book into my locker since I had already finished all of the homework for calculus for the week. “So are you heading to the dance studio now or later?” I glanced up at Kimberly. She was leaning against the row of lockers and I found my heart begin to beat wildly in my chest as I took her in. Her hair was slightly windswept because she had raced across the school to walk me to my locker after her last class, serious about her promise to properly court me. The look worked for her, as the short locks of hair framed her hair messily. She work a tank top, her favorite type of shirt to wear – and I definitely wasn’t complaining. I could stare at her arms all day and was glad that she constantly put them on display. They looked like they were sculptured by Aphrodite herself, bulging in all the right places. I must have been staring at her wondrous arms for too long because she let out a chuckle, “T?”

            I blinked, tearing my eyes away from her bulging biceps to her eyes that sparkled with mirth. “Hmm?”

            Her grin widened and she took a step closer to me, bringing a hand up to push my hair behind my ear, “When are you going to the dance studio?”

            My lips are suddenly dry and I swipe my tongue across them to wet them. “I’m going to walk there now.”

            Kim scoffs, rolling her eyes, “You planned on walking when your girlfr-, I uh mean, I have a perfectly good car and could drive you there?”

            I shrug, my heart squeezing happily at her almost calling herself my girlfriend. That’s what she was trying to say, right? Maybe not. I probably shouldn’t dwell on it. “I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than taxiing me around.”

            Kim lets out a long, loud sigh and buries her face into my hair. This is the second time she’s done that today and I have the feeling that she enjoys it. I’m definitely not complaining. She says something but it is muffled by my hair. “Come again?”

            She lets out another side and steps back, “I said you’re impossible. Let’s get going I don’t want to stay here any longer than I need to.”

            I let out a laugh and go to grab my backpack from where I had dropped it on the ground. But Kim beats me to it and slings it over her shoulder, smiling cheekily at me as she extends her hand, wiggling her fingers.

            I roll my eyes at her but can barely contain my smile as I interlock our fingers, “You chivalrous dork.”

            On the car ride over we idly chat about our days and I fill her in on everything that Mike had said to me that morning. By the end of my story she is gripping the wheel tightly and cursing softly, “That fuck boy, tell me if he does anything like that again and I’ll teach him some respect.”

            I roll my eyes at her, “Calm down there, princesa. First of all I can take care of myself, and second of all I doubt he’ll be bothering me again. He was probably just wondering the halls and saw me and thought I’d be an easy lay. He’s probably already forgotten me.”

            “You underestimate yourself,” she says, relaxing her grip on the wheel, “You’re pretty unforgettable.”

 

            I stand in the waiting room of the dance studio, twisting my hands anxiously as I wait. I had asked the secretary if I could talk with Diana and was now waiting for her to get off a phone call. Kim had dropped me off five minutes ago. She had insisted on waiting for me in the car, but I told her that it might take a while. She had been insistent but I had reminded her about a big history test tomorrow. Reluctantly she had driven off, but only after I had promised to call her later that night, a condition I agreed to quickly.

            I rolled my shoulders as I heard footsteps approaching, preparing myself. A moment later Diana rounded the corner. She was a tall, beautiful women who I admit that I had a bit of crush on when I first started here. She had long, ebony hair that flowed past her shoulders in waves. Her face was striking and she was fit from her years of dance. Thankfully I had gotten over my crush and come to look at her as a big sister, “Trini!” she called out, her voice a nice comfort. She had a beautiful accent and it was always a treat to hear her voice. I got up and gave her a hug, relishing in the warmth she radiated. She pulled back, “Come back to my office, we’ll talk there.”

            I followed her down the hall to her office. There wasn’t much too it, a few trophies and a pictures of her and her wife, Natasha. She had a desk with double monitors and a phone, but not much else. She much preferred to be in the studio than behind the desk. We took a seat on the couch she had on side. “Where have you been? I’ve missed you, little one.”

            I sagged into the couch, I wasn’t going to lie to Diana. She had been nothing but kind and a great role model for me. Besides she could probably relate, “I need to quit dance.” Right to the point.

            She let out a gasp and sat up, “What? Why? What’s going on?” She reached out and grabbed my hand.

            I let out a heavy sigh, “I told my parents that I’m gay.” I paused as I saw her face fall, understanding coming over her features. “They…don’t approve. Obviously they aren’t going to be paying for my dance lessons anymore and I need to get a job because…well because they kicked me out.”

            Her face darkened and she let out some swears, “Those fucking shitheads.”

            I laugh and bring my hand up, rubbing my face. “Yeah, I know. I am really sorry to spring this on you, Diana. Dancing here…it was my escape. I loved it and I’m sorry that I’m messing up the routine-”

            Diana shakes her head at me and pulls me close, encasing me in her arms. “That doesn’t matter right now, all that matters is you. Where are you staying, Trini?”

            I shift uncomfortably, I can’t tell her that I’m living in a spaceship, but I had thought about this already. I knew that I would have to come up with a front of where I’m living. “At the gold mine,” I muttered. It wasn’t really a lie, I was staying there. Just in a space ship underneath it.

            Diana stiffened, “What?” her arms tightened around me, “What do you mean you’re staying at the gold mine?”

            I tried to shrug, but could barely move in her embrace. I didn’t mind though, “There’s an, uh, old train car there.”

            “No,” she said simply, pulling away from me. “No I will not allow this to continue, how long have you been staying there.”

            Her eyes are unwavering, worry and anger swirling in her hazel eyes. I can’t contain eye contact and my eyes dart around the room, looking anywhere but her. “Two weeks.” I mumble out.

            “Two weeks?!” She bellows, standing up. She begins to pace, walking between the back wall and her door, “You’ve been living in a train car for two weeks?” I open my mouth, but it is in vain, “Trini you can’t do that! You can’t live like that! Why didn’t you come to me? You know that I would have understood!”

            I shrink into the couch, the tears burning my eyes. My lip wobbled and I bit harshly on it to try and stop it. “I’m sorry,” I choke out.

            Diana stops abruptly and strides over to me. She gathers me up and places me upon her lap as if I way nothing. “Oh I am so sorry, little one, I didn’t mean to make you cry. Shh, it’s ok I’m not mad at you. You did nothing wrong,” she rocks me gently as I cry into her shoulder, “You are so strong, little one, so strong. But you don’t need to be, let it out.”

            We stay like that for a while before I have finished crying. I am now just sniffling lightly. I pull my head away, “I ruined your shirt, I’m sorry.” I gently touch the patch of tears on her white blouse, my mascara had run and stained it black.

            She shook her head, “Hush, it’s nothing.” We are silent for a moment, “Trini why don’t you stay with Natasha and I?” she asks lightly.

            I am shaking my head even before she finishes. “No, I can’t intrude on you guys like that. Besides I’m just some gay kid that you guys barely know.”

            “Bullshit, I know you plenty and so does Natasha. You’ve been coming to our house for dinner once a week for a few months. You’re like a little sister to us, not some random gay kid. Besides imagine how upset you’d make Natasha if she found out you turned down living with us over a train car,” she says, nudging my shoulder gently. I sigh, leaning into her as she runs her hand gently through my hair. “What do you say, little one?”

            “Okay,” I whisper finally, “But if you guys ever get tired of me, tell me. The train car really isn’t that bad.”

            “Tired of you? Never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry for not updating. Honestly I've been so busy lately with work and whatnot. But I have a light schedule the next few days so I will update again soon! As always have a lovely day and please comment, nothing gives me more joy than a comment! :)


	12. Moving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for taking so long to update, but I had serious writer's block. I rewrote this chapter three times and I'm still not 100% happy with it. But here it is, enjoy!

            I drop my bags at my feat, plopping myself down alongside them. It had taken a lot of convincing, but eventually I had gotten Diana to agree to drop me off at the entrance to the gold mine while she went and talked to Natasha. Originally she had wanted to come and help me pack my belongings, however it’s not like I could take her down to the ship. I won the argument once I told her that I wasn’t comfortable going to live at her house until she’d at least talked to Natasha about it. Which isn’t a lie, I need to know that it’s ok that Diana offered their home to me. I didn’t want to create any tension between Natasha and Diana. I also wanted to give Diana some time to think about what she’s doing. I need to know that once I’m not in her general vicinity that she doesn’t have a change of heart. I had let in hope the moment that I agreed to live with Diana, but I was wary. The last time I had hoped my parents had kicked me out of the house. So I needed to make sure before that hope got too high.

            I sigh and pull my phone out, checking the time. It’s only 5:18 pm. Diana and I had agreed that she’d meet me back at the front of the gold mine entrance to pick me up an hour after she had dropped me off at. I had suggested that I just walk to her house, but after she had agreed to let me get my things by myself, she wasn’t budging on this. But she wouldn’t be here until 5:45 pm. I glance back at the gate of the gold mine, I had plopped myself next to a rock a few feet in front of it. There is a large CLOSED sign hanging from it, since Rita had taken all the gold from it to make Goldar.

            Biting my lip I pull up my contacts and quickly dial Kim’s number. It rings two times before she answers. In the background there’s a thump before Kim groans out, “Hey.”

            I furrow my brows, “What was that?”

            There is a slight pause before very quietly Kim says, “I may have fallen off my bed trying to get my phone…”

            Before I can even help it a snort escapes my mouth, “Oh my god you’re such a klutz.”

            “Normally I’m not,” Kim grumbles, “I just saw your name and _might_ have fallen off the bed trying to grab the phone.”

            A smile stretches across my face, nearly hurting it’s so wide. “Excited to hear from me, princesa?”

            “No I just fall off my bed for everyone who calls me,” she retorts sarcastically. Warmth spreads through my chest, I can’t believe that Kim likes me so much that she’s falling off her bed to talk to me.

            “Hey no need to sass me pink,” I joke, “It’s actually kind of sweet.”

            Kim lets out a huff before switching gears, “So how did it go with your dance instructor?”

            “It, uh, went well,” it did go well, but not for the reason that she thinks. The warmth that was there a minute ago now turns into a heavy weight and I know its guilt due to lying to Kim, again. “She was very understanding.”

            “That’s good,” she said hesitantly, “I just wish you didn’t have to quit.”

            I chew my lip, “Yeah me too.” We sit in silence for a moment before I speak again, “So what have you been doing? Or are you too busy missing me to get anything done?” I let out a small laugh at the end so she knows that I’m just joking.

            “You caught me, I’ve been sitting by my window, staring longingly outside as I let out deep, heartfelt sighs. I’ve been counting down the moments until I can reunite with you.”

            I snort again, covering my mouth quickly. It’s embarrassing and I hope that Kim has noticed, “You’re something else, princesa.”

            “Yeah well that snort was adorable and don’t think I didn’t hear it.” Dang.

 

            We chat easily for the next ten minutes, talking about random things. How studying for her exam is going, how we didn’t get to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2 over the weekend, and just about our days. Due to my advanced hearing I can hear a car in the distance, I pull my phone away from my face slightly to check the time, 5:41 pm.

            I let out a soft sigh, cutting Kim off from her rant about how she is already getting tired of Zach interrupting us. “What’s wrong?”

            “I have to get going,” I say reluctantly, the sound of the car approaching becoming louder.

            “Oh,” her voice suddenly sounded smaller and my heart clenches. I can see the car now, having turned the corner and approaching me.

            “I’m sorry but Diana wanted me to have dinner with her and her wife and I don’t want to be late. If I could talk longer I would because you’re great to talk with and I don’t really want to stop talking to you. You should also be studying for your test….I’m not saying that you aren’t smart and necessarily need to study I just know that you are worried about this exam and I don’t want-”

            “Trini, don’t worry I get that you can’t stay on the phone all night, no matter how much I wish you could. Have fun at dinner and I’ll text you later, ok?” I recognize Diana’s black Mercedes as it stops about twenty feet away from me, the engine cutting off.

            “Alright, well have fun studying, princesa, and don’t forget to take a break.”

            We both say one more goodbye before I pull my phone away and hit the red end button just as two car doors slam shut. Chewing on my lip nervously I scramble to my feet, grabbing the handles of my duffle bags and tossing them over my shoulder. I scuff my foot on the ground, stalling as I take the both of them in. Diana is now leaning against the hood of her car, arms gripping it lightly with a smile adorning her face.

            Natasha on the other hand is strutting towards me. I gulp as I look anywhere but her eyes. She isn’t much taller than me, two inches maybe but her confidence makes it seem like ten. She has bright red hair that falls down to her shoulders in soft waves and even though she’s just wearing a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt she still looks like she could be a supermodel, her and Diana both could be actually.

            I grip my bags tighter, tensing up as she is within a few steps of me. Her face is neutral and that strikes fear into me. What if she’s here to tell me that she doesn’t want me living with them? That she’s not going to let some punk like me come into her home. She has the perfect life with her wife, why would she want me to disrupt that? Maybe she’ll let me down easily, she isn’t a monster after all. She’s actually one of the nicest people I know, always making me cookies or telling me embarrassing stories about Diana. But I thought my mother was nice too, a little overbearing, but nice. And I had been wrong, so what if I was wrong again? I’m frozen, waiting for harsh words, scared that she will speak to me as my mother did.

            I’m stunned as instead of yell at me, or try to let me down easily she wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a fierce hug. For a moment I don’t move, flabbergasted that she’s actually hugging me. That this means that she isn’t mad or going to tell me to go put my things back where I got them. I realize that this hug is awkward because I’m sitting there, my arms at my sides. So I drop my bags and wrap my arms around her too, hugging her back just as fiercely. “I’m so sorry about your parents, malyutka,” she says after a while, gently extracting herself from me.

            I glance at her deep green eyes, taking in the sincerity of her words. I shrug and bend down to grab my things. “It is what it is,” I mutter, slinging one of the duffels over my shoulder. Natasha grabs the other from me and we start to walk towards the trunk of the Mercedes.

            “That doesn’t make it any less painful,” she says lightly.

            I don’t say anything because she’s right, it does hurt. It hurts that my parents, specifically my mother, can’t get past my sexual orientation. That she can’t see that I’m still her daughter. But there’s nothing anyone can do at this point to change her mind and I don’t like to dwell on it because it just hurts more to do so.

            I throw my duffel in the trunk, watching Natasha do the same with the other one. I chew on my lip, “So you don’t mind that Diana…that she told me I could stay with you guys?”

            Natasha turns to me quickly, grabbing my arm and squeezing lightly. “Of course not, malyutka. I care about you, just as Diana does, and I am ecstatic to have you staying with us. I wish it was under better circumstances, but that doesn’t mean I’m not glad to have you. Besides sometimes that house gets too big for just Diana and I.”

            I nod slowly, still apprehensive, “I told you that she would love to have you, little one.” Diana interjects, opening the back door for me. I slide in as Natasha goes to sit in the front. Diana is the last to get in, having waited for me to get situated in the back. I look down and run my fingers against the face of my watch, my nerves still present. I know they’re stupid and that I need to calm down, but I’m worried that Diana and Natasha will grill me for the rest of the night about my feelings about being kicked out or what not. Boy was I wrong.

            “So who was that you were on the phone with when we pulled up?” Natasha has a teasing lilt to her voice and immediately a blush blooms onto my cheeks. “Ohhhhh was it a girl you like?” she wiggles her eyebrows at me, turning back to Diana, whose too focused on the driving to have seen my blush, “She’s blushing, Diana, I told you!”

            I huff, pretending to be annoyed but inside I’m relieved that they aren’t treating me any differently than they normally do. “Shut up,” I end up grumbling, causing Natasha’s grin to widen.

            “Oh my god it was! Who is she? Is she cute?” Natasha is nearly vibrating in her seat, fully turned around to look at me as she talks. I spare a glance at Diana to see a small smile on her face, chuckling lightly at her wife, or me maybe.

            I groan and let my head fall back against the seat dramatically, “Yes it was a girl…Her name is Kim.”

            Natasha slaps Diana’s arm in excitement, “Go on.”

            I roll my eyes, “We’re uh…going on a date on Saturday.”

            Diana reaches for the radio and turns it off even though it was on very low and we could barely hear it to begin with. “Really? Is she nice to you? Does she treat you right?”

            Diana’s eyes connect with me in the rearview mirror, concern swirling in her dark brown orbs. “Yes she’s great…She brings me breakfast and walks me to my classes. She carries my things for me, no matter how many times I tell her that I can do it myself,” I sigh wistfully, grinning down at my lap as I talk about Kim. “She even doesn’t mind when I call her in the middle of the night after my nightmar-”

            I cut myself off abruptly, realizing that I was just about to tell them about my nightmares. The ones I’ve been having ever since Rita came to town and attacked me in my bedroom. Since she took away my sense of security. “What nightmares?” Natasha asks softly.

            I lower my eyes as I nervously play with my fingers, scared to tell them, scared that they won’t want to deal with me now that they know I’m haunted by nightmares. Something I should get over because I’m sixteen, nearly seventeen. I shrug and try to play it off, “It’s, it’s nothing.”

            Natasha reaches back and places a hand on my knee, “Hey it doesn’t sound like nothing. You can tell us malyutka, it’s not going to change how we view you.”

            Hesitantly I grab onto Natasha’s hand and she squeezes my own in encouragement. “I, I was attacked a few months ago…you know when Rita, I-I mean that green lady and gold monster attacked the town. She was trying to find out where this crystal thing was and she thought someone, someone who lived in town would know where it was. So one night I woke up to her hovering over my bed…” The only people I had told this to were the rangers, and I was a little surprised I was telling them. But I had already told them so much, so there’s no point in stopping now. I use my other hand to tug the collar of my shirt down, showing them the long scar marks over my collar where Rita had cut me with her talon-like nails. “She hurt me until she realized I didn’t know what she was talking about.”

            Suddenly Diana took a sharp left before slamming the car into park. “That bitch did what? I’m going to…” suddenly she slipped into another language that I didn’t recognize, slamming her fists onto the steering wheel. Natasha glanced at her wife before unbuckling and climbing over the center console until she was in the backseat with me. Gingerly she pulled my collar down once more. She glanced up at me, silently asking for permission. I gave a small nod and she traced the scarred skin, closely examining it.

            “I’m so sorry you had to go through that, malyutka. I can’t imagine how terrifying that must have been for you,” Natasha said lightly, pulling my shirt back up before slipping an arm around my shoulders, “We’re here for you okay? When you have nightmares or just want to talk about it, we’re here. If you just want company we’ll be there too.”

            I leaned into Natasha lightly, “Thank you…I don’t really like talking about it.”

            Nat nodded lightly, “That’s fine, how about we go put your things away and then make some dinner? It’s getting pretty late and I’m sure you’re hungry.”

            I looked around in surprise, just now noticing that we were in their driveway. “Sounds perfect.”

            I pulled away from Nat slowly, opening the door and climbing out. I headed around to the trunk, watching her lean up into the front of the car, whispering to Diana. They were like that for a few moments before Diana leaned down and opened the hatch for me. I grabbed both of my bags and hesitated, waiting for the two of them.

            They continued to talk for another minute before they both excited the car, sending smiles my way. “Come on little one, I’ll help you get settled as Natasha starts on dinner.”

            I smiled in thanks and started to follow Diana into the house. I couldn’t stop the smile as it began to spread across my face. I had a family now. Two people that cared for me and got angry when I got hurt. Maybe I do belong somewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I hope you liked it! As always comment and have a lovely day!


	13. Thursday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guys this is nearly 4,000 words. That's crazy.

           Living with Diana and Natasha was like a dream come true. For the past few nights I had helped Natasha cook dinner, something I had never done with my mother who would for some reason never allow me to help her. We would laugh and joke, talking about everything and nothing as we worked. One moment we would go from talking about the weather to how grateful I was to have met the other rangers because I had never had close friends that cared about me as much as them. After when we would sit down to eat Diana would spend the entire meal praising the two of us on our creation.

            When we were finished with our meals and Diana had washed all the dishes, since she hadn’t cooked, we usually gravitated to the couch (if I was finished my homework). We’d spend a few hours binging Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix, the only show the three of us had never seen. Originally we had all been a little skeptical, but the show had grown on us and we were hooked.

            I still awoke from nightmares every night, thankfully though I had yet to wake Natasha or Diana. I usually spent three to four hours in my room, just getting homework done or doing Tai Chi before I would sneak downstairs. I had made it my personal mission to make breakfast for everyone because no matter how much Diana and Natasha told me that they cared for me and that money was no object because of the family company Diana had inherited, I still felt that I had to pay them back somehow. And the only way they would let me, or more like couldn’t stop me, was for me to make breakfast.

            I had just finished the last of the scrambled eggs when Diana strut into the kitchen, gracefully sliding onto a barstool at the kitchen island. “Good morning, little one, how did you sleep?”

            I gave a noncommittal shrug as I dished out the eggs onto plates, alongside the fruit I had cut earlier. “Fine,” I lied smoothly, placing her plate before her.

            Diana let out a sigh as she stabbed a piece of strawberry onto her fork, “Lying is not your strong suit, Trini.” I turned my back, pouring two cups of coffee. I didn’t want to see disappointment on her face. I don’t know if I could take it if I saw it came from Diana because she was one of the few people I had yet to disappoint, one of the few I had not yet pushed out of my life from my mistakes, my failures. When I turned around I braced myself, fearful of rejection, of anger. But instead I just found concern on Diana’s face. She let out a sigh, standing and coming around the island. She towered over me and I had to crane my neck to look at her face, but I didn’t meet her eyes. I still feel guilty over not telling her that I had woken up in a panic, again, because my mind wouldn’t stop replying the night that Rita had invaded my home and safe space. The night that she had thrown my around like a rag doll and had tried to tempt me to abandon my team and join her. Even going as far to _lick_ my face. I had stumbled to the bathroom down the hall this morning, rubbing my chin raw because I could just _feel_ her slimy tongue against it. I shuddered and fought off the urge to turn to the sink, to clean my chin once again, because even after this long I could still _feel_ it.

            Sometimes it wasn’t even dreams of Rita that haunted me. Sometimes I dreamt about the day I came out to my parents. Over and over again I replayed my mother calling me an abomination, a monster. She would slap me over and over as she told me that I wasn’t her daughter, that I was nothing to her. I would watch as my father sat idly by, letting my mother berate and abuse me for something I had no control over.

            Diana gently rubbed under my eyes with her thumb, pulling me back into the present, “There are dark circles under your eyes, my little one, I am worried.”

            I sighed and finally allowed myself to look into her dark eyes, “It’s stupid,” I mumbled, “I shouldn’t be this effected by _nightmares_.” I feel my shoulders slump and I feel like a kid, unable to sleep for fear that there are monsters under the bed.

            “Hey there is nothing to be ashamed off,” she pulled me into her arms, hugging me tightly. “You went through something traumatic, no one expects you to just be able to get over it so easily, it takes time. But talking does help. I’m not going to force you to talk, just know that when you are ready I’m here. Always.”

            I wrapped my arms around her tightly, mindful of my strength. Burying my head into her neck. We stayed like this for a little while, Diana swaying us lightly. It was soothing and something I truly needed because by the time that I pulled away my chest felt less heavy and I didn’t have the urge to run to the nearest sink and try to rub away any traces of Rita that may remain. “Thank you, Diana. It helps…you know knowing that when I’m ready I can talk to you. And that you can…you can hug me until that point.”

            She beamed down at me, quickly placing a kiss on my forehead before turning back to her breakfast, digging into the scrambled eggs.

* * *

 

            I sat back in my chair, lost in my own world as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the music blaring from my headphones. I felt a kiss against my cheek and a smile began to form on my face. I opened my eyes, expecting to see Kim standing in front of me, smiling down at me. Unfortunately that was not the view I was greeted to. Instead I found, leaning against the desk in front of me, Mike, smirking down at me. I angrily wiped at my cheek to get any traces of his kiss off it. Ripping my head phones off I stood up, “What the hell!” I growled out.

            Mike raised his hands, “What I can’t give my girl Dede a good morning kiss?”

            I took a step forward, clenching my fists together tightly, “First of all, dipshit, my name isn’t fucking Dede, it’s Trini. Secondly, and most importantly, I am _not_ your girl.”

            He rolled his eyes, “Come on there’s no need to play hard to get, Trini.”

            “I’m not playing hard to get, I’m not interested. So stay away from me.”

            He let out an exaggerated sigh, “I know you want me Trini, I mean who doesn’t? So why don’t we stop playing this cat and mouse game and you just give me a nice kiss and maybe we can do a little more under the bleachers later.”

            I think I honest to god just puked in my mouth a little bit. What was this dude on? I mean seriously why does he think I have a thing for him? And why won’t he just give up? There must be a hotter, more popular girl he could be bugging. But if course it had to be me that he chose as his target. “You need to leave me alone, Mike. I don’t want to be with you. I don’t even want to be in the same room as you.”

            He raised his eyebrow, a smirk on his face as if he found this whole exchange amusing. I let out a big sigh, ready to go tell him exactly where he could go stick it when I felt an arm wrap around my waist. “Didn’t I tell you to leave Trini alone?”

            I glanced over to find Kim, her eyes were stormy and hard as she glared at Mike. The arm she had around my waist tightened as he scoffed at her. “I don’t take orders from you, Hart.”

            Kim released me and took a step forward so that she was nose to nose with Mike. Her whole body was tense, ready to strike at any moment. I felt a jolt of heat as I took in just how hot Kim looked as she was defending me from this prick. Her arm muscles were flexing deliciously and her jaw was set tightly so that it looked like it could cut diamonds. Her eyes had become molten chocolate and her plump lips were on full display as she scowled. Jealousy was a good look on Kimberly Hart.

            In my lustful haze I missed the next few exchange of words, too caught up in checking Kim out to take in anything else. I was only brought back into reality when someone yelled loudly, “What’s going on here?”

            I turned to the door to find Jason quickly entering the room, Billy hot on his heels. A moment later Jason was pushing Mike back, away from Kimberly, who looked absolutely murderous at this point. She honestly looked one second away from throwing Mike through the window and I can see why Jason was now intervening. We aren’t allowed to escalates fight, and if Kim’s body language is anything to go by, she was about to start one.

            “Get out of here,” Jason commanded as Billy and Kimberly flanked him. Mike recognized that he was outnumbered and shrugged.

            “One of these times your friends won’t be around to interrupt us, sweetheart.”

            I quickly wrapped my arms around Kim, holding her back as she tried to lunge at Mike, who was cackling as he walked out of the room. When I was sure he was gone I loosened my hold on her. She quickly turned in my arms, cupping my face in her hands. “Are you alright? Did he do anything?”

            Her eyes scanned me, looking for any hint that he harmed me. “I’m fine Kim, the only thing that creep did was gross me out and kiss my cheek.”

            I realized a moment too late that I probably shouldn’t have told Kim that he had kissed my cheek. A large scowl took over her features and her eyes looked ablaze. “He did what?” Her voice was barely above a whisper and I shivered at the barely contained anger that laced her words.

            I brought a hand up and held one that was still cupping my cheek. “He took me by surprise, I was blasting my music with my eyes closed, lost in my own little world. I would never have let it happen otherwise.”

            Billy popped our little bubble as he let out a gasp, “He kissed you without your permission? But my mom told me you’re not supposed to do that. You’re supposed to get consent from the person you want to kiss before you kiss them. Doesn’t he know that?”

            I smiled over at Billy, “No one must have told him, because I certainly didn’t want him to kiss me.”

            Anger suddenly filled Billy’s features, surprising me. “He shouldn’t do that! He can’t just do that to you Trini! Someone needs to tell him that he can’t kiss without consent! Especially you because you’re with Kim and Kim gets really angry about it. Me and Jason too, but Kim gets really angry and she might start a fight and that’s against Ranger code.”

            I flicker my eyes to Kim to see a small smile tugging at her lips at Billy’s rant, the anger slowly draining out of her. I pull her hand away from my face before intertwining our fingers, “Yeah you’re right Billy, Kim sure did get angry and jealous.”

            Kim huffs next to me, “I think I had good reason to get jealous and angry, he was way out of line.”

            I bite my lip to keep from laughing, but Kim sees this and just rolls her eyes at me before plopping down into my seat. I am about to complain when she tugs on my arm, pulling me down so I am sitting on her lap. Her arms wrap around my waist as she places her head on my shoulder. I lean back into her as I begin to play with the fingers that lay across my stomach. Jason smiles at us, before sitting down next to Billy. They break out into conversation, what about I don’t know because I am overwhelmed. I am sitting in Kim’s lap. Her arms are around me, holding me so that I am pressed up against her. All I can smell is vanilla and raspberries, a smell that I have begun to associate with Kim. With safety and warmth.

            My breath catches in my throat as she places a kiss against the side of my neck. My heart hammers against my chest and I am sure Kim can feel it because she is pressed right up against me. “Good morning.” Her voice is husky and I realize that her heart is beating just as hard as mine and I am happy to know that I am having the same effect on her that she is having on me. “Do you want to come over my house afterschool? We could do our homework and watch a movie afterword.”

            I feel myself deflate a little bit because I would love nothing more than to spend the afternoon with Kim, but it’s Thursday. It’s finally Thursday and I’m seeing my brothers for the first time in nearly three weeks. Nothing is going to stop me from seeing them, not even the opportunity to spend time with Kim. I turn my head so I am looking at her and am startled at how close our faces are. If I just leaned in a little bit…

            Focus Trini. Now is not the time to notice how Kim’s lips glisten slightly, probably from her lip gloss. Or how they are so plump and just _right there_. No now is the time to focus. “I-I uh can’t today,” I clear my throat, tearing my eyes away from her lips to her own eyes, which are sparkling with amusement, “I promised my brothers that I would hang out with them today since we haven’t spent much time together lately.”

            Kim’s lips pulled back into a large smile and dang it I was staring at them again. I watched them with rapt attention as she talked, “No problem, I think it’s great that you’re making time to spend with your brothers. I know they mean a lot to you.”

            I smile as I picture the two of them, “Yeah they can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but I love the both of them to pieces.”

            “I know and I think it’s adorable how much you care and are protective over them.”

            I jut my lip out as I pout, “I’m not adorable.”

            I’m prepared for the little squabble we usually have on whether or not I’m adorable, which I’m _not_ because I’m a _badass_. Instead I am met with silence and find that it’s Kim’s turn to be enraptured by my lips. I let out a little chuckle as I lightly bite on my bottom lip to keep on laughing. Kim lets out a light groan, her eyes glazing over slightly.

            “Hey lovebirds, get a room!” Zach shouts. I am so startled I jump, causing me to nearly fall out of Kim’s lap. I am only saved when she tightens her arms around me, keeping me from face planting onto the floor.

            “Goddammit Zach,” Kim growls out, “Would you stop interrupting us every time we’re having a moment?”

* * *

 

            I am fidgeting in my seat, anxious to get out of my last class. The past forty minutes have dragged on, feeling more like two hours. I can’t wait to get out of here, to be able to pull my brothers into my arms, to hear their voices again. My bag is already packed, ready to go as soon as the bell rings. I’m too nervous and excited to pay attention this period anyway, even if I did have my notes out they would be blank.

            My knee is bouncing almost inhumanly fast as I watch the old analog clock tick away. Just ten more seconds and I’m out of here, running to the middle school two miles away as fast as I can so that I don’t waste a second. I reach down and wrap my left hand around one of the straps around my bag, five more seconds. The person sitting next to me sends me an annoyed glare, probably because my foot bouncing is causing a lot of noise and is annoying. But I don’t care.

            _Ring._

I am up and out of my seat before my annoyed neighbor can even close their binder. I hold myself back from all but sprinting out of the classroom, settling on fast-walking it out of there. No one is in the hall yet and I continue to speed walk as fast as I can to the front doors. I am nearly to them when a voice rings out, “Trini wait up!”

            I slow down, turning back to see Kim jogging towards me. “Easy there tiger, where you off to in such a hurry?”

            Kim easily grabs my hand, interlacing our fingers. “Just heading to the middle school to see my brothers.”

            Kim lets out a groan, “Let me guess you were going to walk?”

            “Yeah? How else would I get there?”

            Kim closes her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. “Trini how many times do I have to tell you that I don’t mind driving you places? I’d much rather drive you somewhere than know you have to walk everywhere.”

            I look down sheepishly, “I just don’t want to take advantage of your car.”

            Kim had already steered us to Charley and she released my hand to open the passenger door. I quickly slide in as she slams it back shut. A moment later she is sliding into the driver side, “Trini take advantage of my car all you want, it just means I get to spend more time with you.”

            I swoon internally at Kim’s statement. God could she get any more perfect? She’s willing to drive me all around town just so she can spend a few more minutes with me. I mean how did I end up so lucky that this angel wants to go on a date with me? That given the choice between Jason Scott, ex-quarterback, hunk, and ring-leader of the Power Rangers, and me, she chose plain old me? It will forever baffle me.

            A stay silent at her statement, a blush tinting my cheeks. But I do reach over and grab one of her hands. She drives fine with one, so why use both when I could be holding one of them? A peaceful silence envelops us as Kim drives towards the Middle School. We are there quickly and I am both ecstatic to see my brothers and sad to leave Kim. She pulls up in front of the school, putting Charley into park before turning towards me. “Have a great time with your brothers.” She leans forward to kiss my cheek, but she is a little off and hits the corner of my mouth.

            I freeze, my heart beating against my chest like Rocky beats against those hunks of meat. We stare at each other for a moment and I notice the large blush that Kim is sporting. “T-thanks. I-I’ll text you.” I reach blindly for the handle, fumbling for a moment before I finally get it, stumbling out of her car. I give her a small wave before I shut the door stumbling in the direction of the school. Kim just kissed me on the mouth, albeit it was only the corner of my mouth, but still.

            I groan and pinch myself, now is not the time. I need to focus on my brothers. I will have plenty of time to analyze this whole situation later. Right now I need to find Mateo and Jaime and hug them for as long as I can. I quickly walk around the school until I am at the back entrance. Hesitantly I tug the handle, scared that I will find it locked and be unable to get in. Thankfully it comes open easily and I feel my heart stop as I find Mateo and Jamie leaning against the wall opposite the door.

            Seeing them is like drinking water after running a marathon. Like going up for a breath of fresh air after holding it under water. It’s like shade on a hot summer day. It’s like coming home after a long day. “Trini!” they yell, both running towards me.

            Suddenly I have an armful of them and I drop to my knees, pulling them tightly against me as tears spring to my eyes. “I’ve missed you guys so much,” my voice cracks but I don’t care because I’m holding my brothers and their arms are gripping me back just as tightly. “I love you guys and I’m so sorry that I haven’t been around. I’m sorry.”

            Mateo pulls back and wipes the tears from my eyes before placing a kiss on my cheek, “We love you too, Trini.”

            Jamie pulls back and follows suit, placing a kiss on my other cheek and repeating Mateo’s words. “Come on, Trin, we should find somewhere else to talk.”

            I nod, standing back up. Each of them takes one of my hands and we trudge down the hall until we find an empty classroom. We quickly go in, closing the door and locking it. “We only have twenty five minutes,” Mateo says quickly.

            I nod and glance down at my watch to note the time. “Why did you leave Trini?” Jamie questions, his voice small.

            My heart cracks because the two of them look so sad and heartbroken and it’s because of _me_. “I didn’t want to, trust me, I would never want to leave you guys. But Mom and Dad…they hate me. They can’t stand the fact that I’m gay, they think it’s wrong.”

            “They hate you because you like girls?” Mateo asks confused, tilting to the head and scrunching up his eyebrows as if he’s trying to figure out a hard math problem.

            I sigh, “Yes, they don’t think that it’s right…they think it makes me a monster.” I breathe out the last word, scared that they’ll take the same mentality. That they won’t want to see me anymore, that they, too will stop loving me.

            “That’s stupid,” Jamie says after a moment, “You’re still our Trini, you just like pretty girls, right? You’re not mean, you haven’t done anything bad. So they shouldn’t be angry.”

            I nod, unable to speak. “Mom and Dad have been fighting a lot about you. Dad is trying to get Mom to let you come back. Or he used to be, now he’s just been agreeing with Mom.”

            I deflate at Mateo’s words, I thought my father was on my side. That he was trying to get my mom to see that I was still me. I guess not. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. Tell me how you guys have been.”

            Mateo and Jamie share a glance with each other before they go into a big spiel about how the other day they had played kickball in gym and it was so fun because they had been on a team with Julie and Sara, who I think they were crushing on. I just sat back and basked in their company, glad that I was finally able to see my brothers after so long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Please comment and have a lovely day!


	14. Late Nights and Blanket Burrito's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I would like to dedicate this chapter to jaguarspot and abetterhuman. Both of you have followed this story from the very beginning, leaving comments on every chapter. I can't thank you guys enough. Hope you enjoy the update!

            I can’t breathe. I try in vain to suck in as much air as I can, but it feels like my lungs are about to explode. I kick my blankets harshly, desperately in the hope that without their weight I will be able to get some oxygen. But it is in vain because my throat is still constricting, cold sweat is still trickling down my forehead, and my entire body won’t stop shaking. A sob forces its way up my throat, cutting through the dark, moonlit room. I clap a quivering hand over my mouth, further making it harder to breathe, but preventing more sobs from disturbing the blanket of silence that rests over the house. My heart is pounding a mile a minute, going so fast that I wonder if it will fly out of my chest, ending this torture.

            I stay there for what seems like an eternity, but could only be a few seconds, trying to get my body and mind to calm the fuck down. I let out a cry of frustration and anguish, muffled by the palm of my hand. I scramble up, falling out of my bed in the process. I barely notice the way that my head bounces roughly against the floor. I need air, I need to get outside. Maybe I will be able to get a lungful out there. In the back of my mind I know that I am having a panic attack and that the reason that I can’t breathe is because I’m hyperventilating right now. But my oxygen-starved brain doesn’t process that right now, all it can process is that I need air and I need it right now.

            I push myself up, stumbling as if I am drunk to the door. My hand wraps around the cool knob, beginning to twist it open when I freeze. I grip my chest with one hand, I will surely wake up Natasha and Diana if I go stumbling down the staircase, attempting to gulp in patches of air as I go. No I need to get out of the house another way. Frantically I look around my room. In the dark there isn’t much to see, but through the window the moon’s light streams in, allowing me to take in the shape of my bed and dresser. I gasp out another breathe, the window.

            I am across the room, clawing at the window before I even realize what I am doing. It takes me three attempts to turn the lock and then another two times before I have a firm enough grip on the window to push it up. I make quick work of the screen, not even caring about the large hole I left in it in my haste. Sticking my head out I make sure the coast is clear. The house has a fence encompassing the back yard, with the forest behind it and no lights shining from the houses on either size.

            I scramble over the windowsill, dropping nearly twenty feet before I hit the ground, rolling to the side to better take the impact. I ache slightly and I know I will regret pretty much falling out of the window later, but right now I pay it no mind. I get up, going to the fence by the woods, the farthest point that I can get away from the house. I slump against it, finally allowing the sobs to rack through my body unbidden.

            My chest aches, as if someone was sitting on it, slowly crushing me to death, making it harder and harder to breathe. Tears streak down my face with no sign of slowing down. Even out here I cannot catch my breath, I sob as I greedily suck in as much air as I can, but it feels like I’m doing nothing, like I’m holding my breath. Blackness creeps around the edges of my sight and I begin to panic even more, clawing at the ground below me. My hands seep into the soft earth, pulling up clumps of grass when I tear my hands away.

           “TRINI!” I flinch harshly at the voice. Shaking my head violently I pull my fingers from the ground and dig them into my shins. I woke up Natasha, even going out the window I woke up Natasha. Now they were going to see how messed up I really am, how much of a disappointment I am. Then they are going to get rid of me, just like my parents did.

           The weight on my chest has gotten heavier and my head swims, the darkness closing in on me. Another sob racks through my body just as I am pulled against a warm body. In the back of my mind I realize that I am freezing, that my body isn’t just shaking because of the sobs, but because of how cold I am. But the thought is fleeting because I can’t seem to focus on anything but the loud ringing that has started up in my ears.

           The warm body pulls away and a moment later two hands are holding my cheeks, pulling my head up. I see a flash a red, but my vision is half gone at this point and my eyes are full of tears, making it so I can barely see the face in front of me. Natasha’s words are muffled, the ringing in my ears nearly drowning it out. “Trini you’re having a panic attack, I need you to try and match my breathing,” her voice is calm, a rock to hold on to in an ocean trying to drown me. “Breath in for five seconds, hold for another five, then release for five, ok? Copy me.”

           I watch her mouth, trying to match her breathing technique to my own. I try to inhale but my breathe stutters and I choke on it. I let out a sob of anguish, further digging my fingers into my shins. “Hey, hey it’s ok, try again.” She took my hand and placed it on her chest, “Focus on my breathing, Trini, we will get through this.”

           I nodded and tried again. Inhale, One…Two…Three…Four…Five. My lungs burn as I try to hold it in, but I force myself to do it. The moment that I hit five I exhale the air in a desperate gasp. “That’s great Trini! Just continue to follow my breathing.”

           Slowly the blackness around my vision begins to recede, the ringing in my ears begins to fade, and I finally feel like my lungs are receiving oxygen. I don’t know how long it takes, but Natasha stays with me the entire time, holding my hand to her chest, doing the breathing exercise with me over and over again. When I finally feel the last tendrils of panic release me I slump forward, into Natasha. She pulls me closer, holding me tightly. “I’ve got you.” She repeats this over and over, not letting me go. I shiver violently, breaking the moment.

           “Let’s get you inside,” she mutters. She pulls away, standing up. I begin to push myself up, but my body is weak after my attack. My legs are wobbly and I fear they might give out. I am just about to tell Natasha so when she sweeps me up into her arms. I let out a shriek of surprise as she begins to carry me back to the house with seemingly no effort.

           “You-you don’t h-have to ca-ca-carry me,” my teeth are shaking I’m so cold that I barely can get out the words. I contradict myself though as I curl myself further into Natasha, burrowing my face into her neck, trying to absorb her heat.

           “Shush, _malyutka_ , we are almost inside,” she places a kiss to my head quickly. I remain quiet for the rest of the short trip, the slight jostling and Natasha’s warmth causing me to begin to feel drowsy and tired. Before I know it I am gently being placed on the couch. I cling onto Natasha, not wanting to release her, to let the cold and doubt to creep back in. She pulls back a little more but I tighten my fingers in her shirt. She cups my cheek, stroking it lightly. Her emerald eyes are open, worry and care swirling inside them as she searches my own. “I’m not leaving you, _malyutka_ , I just need to get you some blankets so that you don’t get sick. I’ll be right back, I promise.”

            Natasha’s eyes flick up for a moment, looking at something behind me and immediately I know its Diana. “Go ahead,” I whisper, shame coursing through my veins. I’m nothing but a nuisance to them. First I invade their home, eat their food and take away the precious time that they could be using to spend with one another. Now I’m forcing them to wake up in the middle of the night in order to calm me down from panic attacks and prevent me from passing out from them. Why do they put up with me? Or better yet, how much longer are they going to put up with me?

        “I’m sorry,” I call out, my voice is rough from the crying, weakness dripping from it. I know that they can both hear me, Diana is doing something in the kitchen, I can tell from the closing cabinets and light clatter of dishes. Natasha is getting the blankets from the hallway, I heard the door squeak open a moment ago. “I didn’t mean to wake you up…you shouldn’t stay up because of me. Both of you have work in a few hours.”

         I clench my fists in my lap because I know as soon as I am alone my nightmare will assault me again. I will see it over and over again until I am a quivering mess once more. Knowing that I am already formulating how I can quietly pack up my things and sneak back to the ship because I’ve already screwed this up. Which really sucks because I was starting to feel like this was a little family. We had our routine and they seem to care about me, comforting me when I’m sad and basking in my joy with me. Gossiping and planning for my date, binging Grey’s and just enjoying spending time with them. But I ruin everything good that comes to me and this isn’t an exception.

        “We don’t care about that, little one,” a hand falls on my shoulder, squeezing gently as Diana rounds the couch. “All we care about right now is you. What caused you to panic so much?”

         I bite my lip that’s beginning to tremble, “You don’t need to pretend to be nice, you can just say it. Just say that I should go.” My voice is harsh, but a quiver in it reveals my true feelings. Reveals how I’m not angry, but upset.

        “We don’t want you to go, Trini. We love having you here, we’re not going to kick you  out just because you had a bad panic attack. In fact we are never going to kick you out. You’re stuck with us forever now,” I shake my head, not going to let the hope kick back in. Diana sighs gripping my shoulders, forcing me to face her. She stays like that and I know that she’s waiting for me to meet her eyes. For a minute I refuse, but my will quickly crumples and I look up. “We already looked at you like you were our daughter, even when you were just stopping by and eating a meal with us once a week. Having you live with us? It’s just solidified our love for you. Unless your parents come begging to take you back you’re our daughter on everything but paper. And as your adopted parents we _want_ to be awoken when you’re in pain. We _want_ to take care of you, so please let us.”

          By the end of her spiel silent tears are rolling down my cheeks. I throw my arms around Diana, pulling her as close as physically possible. “Hey don’t start the cuddle fest without me!” I pull away slightly, just enough to send Natasha a watery smile. I can’t help but bark out a laugh as I notice that she’s carrying at least three, over-sized fluffy blankets that she can barely peak over. She deposits them next to me, gently pulling me away from Diana. “As much as I love the sight of the two of you cuddled up, we need to get _malyutka_ bundled up before she gets a cold.”

           Without further preamble Natasha and Diana begin to work in unison to bundle me up like a burrito with two of the blankets she had brought over. I let out a sigh of contentment as I begin to feel the warmth seep into skin. I still felt like there was a chill in my bones but I knew that bundled up like this that it would eventually go away. Natasha began to throw the remaining blanket over her legs as Diana got up. “Wait…” I gripped the hem of her shirt, unwilling for her to leave.

           She turned around, a reassuring smile on her face. “Don’t worry, little one, I made hot chocolate to warm you up.”

           I searched her face for a moment, noting the sincerity and warmth it displayed. I nodded before I let her go, turning to Natasha as she leaned against my right side. “I know you probably don’t want to, but I think you should tell us about your nightmare.”

           I sigh, beginning to un-burrow one of my arms in preparation for the hot chocolate. “How do you know I had a nightmare?”

           “Trini it’s 3am, we both know you suffer from nightmares.”

           Diana returned and handed both of us a mug. I took mine, pulling it close to my face and just basking in the heat it radiated. I was stalling and I know it, but just thinking about my nightmare scared me. I took a large sip, the chocolate burning my mouth and throat, grounding me to the here and now. “It started off like it usually does…”

 

* * *

 

_Cold water dripped down on my face. I spluttered, trying to spit out the vile water from my mouth. I blink, clearing my vision. I barely contain a scream as she drops down, hovering mere inches from my body. I flinch as she brings her hands up to my face and squirm, trying to get her to release her hold. But it doesn’t deter her. “Do you know who I am,” she asks, her voice causing a shiver of terror to cut through me._

_I breathe out a yes, squeezing my eyes shut, praying that when I open them I will find this all to be a twisted dream. But she’s still there, “I used to be pretty like you…innocent. Are all the Rangers on Zordon’s new team as young as you?”_

_I push at her with all our might, sending us flying across the room. We scuffle for a moment, throwing each other around the room until she pins me, gripping my neck with her talon-like-fingers. I gasp, trying to suck in a breath only to find that I can’t. She squeezes tighter, cackling as I struggle to break her grip, gasping for air as I do so._

_“Trini?”_

_Both Rita and I snap our eyes over to the doorway. The door is slightly ajar and in its threshold stands Mateo. His head is tilted to the side, staring at the two of us confused, trying to figure out what was going on. He’s sporting his favorite pair of Superman pajama’s, the alien crest scattered across his navy pajama pants and shirt. His hair is ruffled, sticking up in random directions. “Run,” I breathe out, “Run!”_

_It’s too late though. Rita releases me ad is across the room in a moment. “Well, well, well who do we have here?” She grabs Mateo by his unruly hair, slowly lifting him in the air. He opens his mouth to scream, but she prevents this by sticking her staff into his mouth. His body twitches as he begins to gag on the staff._

_“No!” I cry out, rushing over to them. She swats me away like a fly, sending me flying across the room. I hit my wardrobe, which breaks upon impact. I push aside the pain and sit up, “Please leave him alone, I’ll do anything! Just leave my brothers out of this!”_

_Rita’s head snaps to me, “Brothers? As in more than one? Maybe I should show you what I’m capable of, so you will be a loyal little pet so I won’t harm your other one.”_

_Without further preamble she jerks her staff forwards violently. The end pierces through the back of Mateo’s head. Immediately his body goes limp, blood slowly beginning to drip from his mouth. “NO!”_

 

* * *

 

            I chug the rest of the hot chocolate, relishing in the way it burns, in the way it reminds me that I am here. That Rita didn’t kill Mateo, that he is safely tucked in his bunk bed, Jaime sleeping soundly in the bunk above him.

            I am quaking as I shakily place the mug on the coffee table. However I’m not crying, probably because I don’t have any tears left to shed. “When I woke up I panicked. I thought that Rita had really killed Mateo. I started to hyperventilate…well you know the rest.”

            I can’t look at either of them, the nightmare replaying on loop in my head. “Oh, _malyutka_ ,” Natasha breathes, “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I know how taxing and terrifying nightmares can be. I wish I could just wipe it from your mind, take away all the pain. But I can’t, however I can tell you it will get easier. The nightmares will fade, they’ll pop up once in a while. But now you have us, you can talk to us and that will help. Trust me, I know.”

            My eyes widened, “You…you have nightmares too?”

            I meet her gaze, which is a sea of green swimming with sadness. “I was born in Russia, _malyutka_. When I was young I was taken from my family. They took me and trained me to be a monster, made me do horrible, horrible things. It still haunts me to this day. I was in a rough spot for a long time, until I found Diana.” She sends a sweet smile to Diana, who is on my other side, running her hand through my hair soothingly. “She helped me, she listened to all my nightmares, never judging, just bringing comfort. It helped me heal. I still have nightmares, but they are few and far in between now, and when I do have them I have Diana to hold me and remind me that I’m ok.”

            “We will always be here to hold you and help you through these nightmares, little one. We love you,” Diana pushes some hair behind my ear.

            “I love you guys too.”

 

* * *

 

            I must have fallen asleep soon after that because when I wake I am still in my blanket burrito, sweating slightly. Natasha is still leaning on my side, her head resting on my own. I figure she must be asleep and try not to move, lest I disturb her slumber. Diana is gone from my right side and I strain to see if I can hear her. “Diana?” I call out quietly, freezing as Natasha shifts against my side. I hold my breath, hoping that I haven’t woken her again. Thankfully she \just snuggles further into me without moving any further.

            Light footsteps echo throughout the living room, coming closer. I wait impatently until Diana comes into view, squatting down until she is at eye level with me. “Are you ok, little one?”         

            I hum, “Yeah, I was just wondering where you went?” I blush lightly, dropping my eyes as I realize how clingy I must appear.

            Diana touches my knee gently, causing me to look back up, “Well you two sleeping beauties can sleep all day, but I can’t so I started to make us some food. Figured you’d both get hungry soon.”

            “What do you mean sleep all day?” My eyes dart to the TV, trying to see if I can see the time on the cable box. However it is out of my view.

            “It’s nearly noon,” Diana deadpans, a smirk tugging at her lips.

            I forget about Natasha sleeping on my shoulder, jerking up, nearly head-butting Diana. Thankfully she moves back just in time to avoid our heads from colliding. I wiggle around, trying to escape my cocoon, “I’m so late for school! I need to go.”

            I fall to the floor, thrashing my arms and legs. Goddammit this blanket burrito is so fricking tight! “Hey, calm down, little one. I called the school and told them you weren’t feeling well and that you wouldn’t be coming in today. You needed the rest after your long night.”

            Finally I escape my blanket prison, quickly pushing the blankets away. I try to stand, only to be pushed back down. I huff, brushing Natasha’s hands off me before climbing to my feet. “I need to go, my friends will be worried.”

            Diana crosses her arm, her eyes stern, “You’re not going anywhere. You’re taking a mental health day, you need to relax and destress.”

            “But-”

            “No buts,” Natasha cuts in, “We both took the days off as well and all we are doing today is eating a ton of food and binging Greys.”

            I let out a sigh, falling back onto the couch next to Natasha, “They’re still going to worry and want to check up on me.”

            “Text them then, tell them they can come see you after school.”

            I look down at my fingers, picking at pajama shorts, “They don’t know that I was kicked out.”

            “What?” Natasha asks incredulously.

            “The only person who knows is Zach. I was – am scared what they’ll think of me when they find out that I was kicked out. If my parents don’t want me, why would they?”

            “Trini from everything you’ve said about them I doubt they would treat you any differently just because you don’t live with your parents. They’ll probably just be worried about you.”

            I open my mouth but am cut off as the doorbell rings. The three of us share a look before Diana heads for the door. Who could possibly be coming here right now? And what for? Natasha and I are silent as we listen to hear Diana and whoever is behind the door. “Hello, who are you?”

            “Where’s Trini?” I freeze as Kim’s voice washes over me, “I know she’s hear!”

            Suddenly footsteps approach as Diana calls out, “Hey!” My blood runs cold as Kim enters the room, followed by the rest of the rangers. They are all tense, as if they are ready to fight at any moment. When Kim spots me she freezes, confusion swirling in her eyes. I gape at all of them, how did they find me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! The next chapter will be a fluffy one so don't worry...I can't promise for the ones after that. I've got some fun stuff (angst) planned! As always have a lovely day and please comment!


	15. The Truth Comes Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a filler chapter, sorry about that. The next one is their first date. Originally I was going to make it all one chapter but I figured the date should be a chapter itself. So for the meantime here's your fix of Trimberly! :)

           Natasha jumps up from her place on the couch, pulling me up with her. I barely blink before she is shoving me behind her, subtly shifting into a defensive position. My leg is pushed painfully up against the coffee table, due to the small amount of space that we have but I push the dull pain aside to focus on the scene playing out in front of me. “Who the hell do you think you are?” Natasha growls out, giving the hardest glare I’ve ever seen to Kim.

            Kim is either really brave or really stupid because she takes a step forward, returning Natasha’s glare. I groan lightly, this is not the first impression that I wanted Kim to have on Diana and Natasha. “It doesn’t matter who I am, all that matters right now is that Trini’s safe.” She takes a step forward, her fists clenching at her sides as she tries to get a look at me around Natasha.

            I stand on my tip toes to peek over Natasha’s shoulder, “I’m safe! No need to start World War III.”

            Kim’s eyes soften as she takes me in, her eyes roaming over my face. I stare right back at her, trying to convey through my eyes that I am fine and in no danger whatsoever. I miss Diana slip back into the room, only turning to her when she speaks up. “She pushed me!” Her voice is incredulous, as if the mere idea that Kim pushed her is ridiculous. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion because she doesn’t seem mad, just bewildered, blinking in confusion, staring at Natasha and having a silent conversation with her.

            I turn my head to look at Natasha to try and gather her feelings on the matter. Her mouth is slightly parted, the only sign of her feelings that she gives. I take this moment of bewilderment to step around her so that we are shoulder to shoulder. “You did what?!?” I bellow, turning my own glare on Kim, “Why would you do that?”

            Kim shrinks back as she takes in my glare, looking slightly sheepish now. “We weren’t sure if you were ok…I-I thought maybe you were in trouble.” She shrugs as she scuffs her foot against the carpet. I sigh deeply, scanning my eyes over the rest of the Rangers, taking in the concerned look on all their faces.

            I rub my temple, a headache beginning to form behind my eyes. “Why don’t we all just sit down and explain what’s going on.”

            Everyone nods their heads in consent. The room is silent as we all shift around, taking a seat. I plop down onto the coffee table, Natasha and Diana take the loveseat and the rest of the rangers cram onto the couch. “Billy I can get you a chair if you would like?” I ask, unsure if he is comfortable sitting so tightly with the others.

            He shoots me a smile, “I’m ok for now, I might stand if it gets too much.”

            I nod and twist my hands together, “So can one of you please explain?”

            They all glance at each other, trying to decide who’s going to speak. After a moment of awkward silence Kim sits up, squaring her shoulders. Her eyes dart towards Diana and Natasha nervously before she begins, “Well I-uh texted you good morning, you know like I usually do? I was a little worried when you didn’t respond, but I figured I would just see you at school. So I went in a little earlier than usual because I know you are always there at an ungodly hour.” I roll my eyes at her over exaggeration and she shoots me a smirk, “But you weren’t there. I stayed in your homeroom until the bell rang and your teacher kicked me out. That’s when I really began to worry, so I texted you again and then the guys to tell them to keep an eye out for you. When we didn’t hear from you by third period…I kinda began to freak out.”

            She looks away from me, her cheeks turning bright red. I raise an eyebrow, “What do you mean freak out?”

            Zach snorts, “Meaning she probably blew up your phone with the amount of times that she texted and called you. Honestly I didn’t think it was possible that you could text someone so many times, I bet you your phone will be so overloaded it won’t even work.” Kim elbows him roughly, reminding him to get on with it. He rolls his eyes at her, “Then she cornered me on my way to the bathroom, demanding to know where you were. Like why the heck did she single me out? That’s just cruel, Hart.”

            He playfully glares at Kim and I roll my eyes, Kim picking up where he left off, “I ‘singled you out’ because you and Trini are really close and if she were to tell anyone where she was then it would be you.”

            Zach scowls, “Yeah well you didn’t have to put me in a headlock to ask!”

            Kim shoves him, “I had to make sure you would cooperate!”

            Zach shoves her back and before it can escalate any further than that Jason decides to cut in, rolling his eyes at the two of them. “Anyways Zach eventually spilled that you had told your parents-” He cuts himself off, eyes darting to where Natasha and Diana sit on loveseat, both leaning forward, attentively listening to the conversation.

            “It’s ok, they know.” I feel the shame begin to engulf me because clearly Zach had told the rest of the team everything. I’m not mad because I know he was probably just worried about me, but I do feel horrible for keeping Jason and Billy out of the loop for so long. I feel even worse for not telling Kim that I wasn’t living at home anymore. Out of all of them she deserves the truth the most and I withheld it from her. It’s not that I don’t trust them, I would give my life for each one of them and I know they would all do the same, it’s just still so hard for me to talk about. I shrink as I wonder if they resent me for not telling them. I swallow, a large lump having formed in my throat. “Go on,” I choke out quietly.

            Jason frowns, “Well anyway he spilled that you had told your parents that you’re gay and that they were less than receptive to the idea. We all began to worry that maybe something had happened with your parents, so we went to your house.” Jason looks sheepish now, rubbing the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact with me.

            I drop my head, bringing my hand up to cover my eyes because I already know where this is going. “What did she say?”

            It is quiet for a moment before Billy picks up the story, “Well when we got to your house we went up to the house and knocked on the door, you know hoping you’d be home? But your Mom answered the door. She didn’t look to happy to see us, I think she thought we were a bunch of delinquents. But then Kim explained that we were all worried about you and asked if you were upstairs. She got really angry after that, she said some really mean things. Things my mom told me I’m not supposed to say. But they were really mean.”

            “I’m sorry she said mean things to you Billy,” I say quietly, unable to look up. I’m sure she had a fair share of things to say about me, I just worry that she would have offended any of the others in any way, belittle them like she had me.

            “Oh they weren’t mean things about me, they-”

            “Billy!” Kim says sharply, shaking her head at him aggressively. Billy quickly shuts his mouth and looks down. “I’m sorry for snapping,” she whispers quietly. When Billy gives a smile she takes a deep breath and continues, “Anyway we gathered that she had basically kicked you out, and that’s when Zach decided to enlighten us that he had known all along. He told us that you were staying-”

            “At the abandoned train car at the gold mine?” I cut in, giving Kim a pointed look.

            She picks up on it and nods. “Yeah so we went to see if you were there, which you weren’t.”

            “At this point our pal Kimberly here was practically hysterical. She was ready to turn the town upside down looking for you,” Zach cuts in, “Thankfully before she could do that Billy told us that he could track your phone and that’s how we ended up here.”

            “You could have been a tad more polite when you entered our home,” Diana scolds. She is glaring at Kim, her eyes smoldering with barely-contained anger.

            “I’m sorry about that, I was just really worried and wasn’t thinking clearly by this point. I’m sorry I intruded on your home…”

            “Mrs. Prince.” Diana says sternly.

            I roll my eyes, Diana always has people call her by her first name; to have her tell the others to call her Mrs. Prince must mean she’s really mad. “Sorry, Diana, Natasha this is Kim, Zach, Billy and Jason. Guys this is Diana and Natasha Prince.”

            Natasha stands, “Ok, how about we give the kids some a few minutes to talk while we go get changed?”

            Diana looks like she is about to protest but Natasha shoots her a look. Instead she rises to her feet, sending Kim a glare. “We won’t be long,” she says before stomping out of the room, grumbling the entire time. Natasha rolls her eyes at her wife’s actions, sending an apologetic look my way before fleeing.

            Once they are out of earshot I raise my eyebrow at Kim, “So why were you really so worried?”

            Kim sighed, scooting forward on the couch until our knees touched. She reached out and gently took one of my hands in hers. Her thumb caressed the back of mine soothingly. “I woke up at like 2 am this morning and I just knew something was wrong. I think it has to do with our Ranger link, but I could feel how torn up you were. I immediately ran to your house, but you weren’t there. So I thought you might be at the ship, again you weren’t there. When I couldn’t find you I began to freak out, but I convinced myself to wait until morning because I thought I might be overreacting. But then you didn’t show up…You know the rest from there.”

            I glanced at the guys, taking in the concern, “Did you guys wake up too?”

            Jason shook his head, “No, I think Kim might have woken up because you guys have a…stronger bond. But we did feel off when we woke up, like something wasn’t right.”

            I pull my hand away from Kim’s, running it through my hair. “I guess I owe you guys an explanation, huh?” I give a humorless chuckle, “I-I told my parents that I was gay, as you all know. They didn’t take it very well, they took it horribly in fact. They didn’t outright kick me out…but they made staying a living hell, doing everything in their power to let me know that I wasn’t welcome. So I left and moved into the ship. It wasn’t horrible, it had a bed and I had Alpha. But it got lonely, especially when I woke up in the middle of the night from the nightmares. I ended up staying there for two weeks…” I bring my legs up onto the coffee table, wrapping my arms around them, trying to make myself smaller. “When I went to tell Diana that I couldn’t attend dance anymore I admitted everything to her. I felt like I owed it to her, Natasha and her had always been so kind to me and I felt like I was letting her down. Then she offered to let me live with her and Natasha. I tried to turn her down, I felt like it would be intruding on them, but you don’t really tell Diana no,” I smile a little at that, but it is short-lived. “My brothers contacted me on Monday, told me they wanted to meet me after school yesterday. So I went and saw them and it was great. I got to see them for the first time in weeks, I really missed them. And then last night I had another nightmare…” I close my eyes tightly, the image of Rita killing Mateo still fresh in my mind. “This time Rita didn’t just attack me…she killed Mateo.” I take in a shuttering breathe, “So I woke up…I had a really bad panic attack and Natasha and Diana had to help me through it. They decided I needed a mental health day and had me stay home. I actually just woke up…”

            I can’t look up, scared of all their reactions. How could they possibly still want me when I’ve been lying to all of them for so long? When I’ve betrayed their trust? I bury my head in my knees, fighting off tears. I will not cry, all I’ve done is cry. I need to frickin grow a pair of lady balls and stop being such a baby. I bite my lip, drawing blood, as I try to stop its quivering. “Oh Trini,” Kim breathes out before throwing her arms around me. She squeezes me tightly and before I can even think I wrap my arms around her, curling into her embrace. A moment later another set of arms wrap around me, then another, and finally I feel light pats against my back.

            I am unsure how long we stay like this, all wrapped together in one big hug, but I don’t want it to end. I feel warmth, not just from the body heat, but also from the fact that they are my family. The family that I chose, that I truly belong in. Through all of our bond I can feel the pulses of love wash over me from each ranger and I know they aren’t angry at me for lying to them, that I haven’t lost them.

            Slowly we all pull away and a smile pulls hesitantly at my cheeks, “So you guys aren’t mad that I didn’t tell you?” I need to make sure, need to be positive that they aren’t really angry.

            “Of course not,” Kim swears, her voice dripping with sincerity.

            I glance at the guys to find them all nodding along, muttering their agreements. I let out a breath I didn’t even know that I was holding. “Did you really think we would be mad at you?” Jason asks incredulously.

            I shrug, “I haven’t had the best of luck with revelations lately…”

            “You’re our family, Trini, not in the literal sense, but you know in the metaphorical one. Because we don’t have the same parents or share any blood relations. But your still our family and that means we’ll love you no matter what,” Billy says, his hand darting out and squeezing mine gently before returning to his own quickly.

            “Thank you,” I manage to choke out, just as Diana and Natasha enter the room. They have both changed from their pajamas, though they are still wearing comfortable clothing. They are more presentable looking, though, with their hair brushed and their faces washed.

            Diana shoots Kim a glare, “I think it’s time you guys all went back to school now that you know that Trini is fine.”

            “Of course,” Jason agrees, standing and motioning for the others to do the same.

            “Except for you, Kimberly, I’d like to have a word with you in my office before you go,” Diana calls out as Kim turns to exit the living room. She freezes, her face looking like a doe in the headlights.

            “Of-Of course Mrs. Prince,” she shoots me a petrified look as she Diana leads her down the hall.

            “What is she doing?” I hiss to Natasha, who put her arm up when I tried to follow them.

            Natasha smirks, “She’s making sure her intentions are pure for your date tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this! As always have a lovely day and please comment! Also thank you everyone who commented on the last chapter, I loved all the feedback! You guys are great :)


	16. Totally Not-Platonic, Totally Gay Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So much fluff!!!! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it because I've got a lot of angst planned in the next few chapters *insert evil laugh*

            “Come on, Diana _please_ tell me!” I plead, pulling out my best pout. However Diana seems immune to it as a smile tugs at the corner of her lips. She shakes her head at me, pushing me away from the stove so that I can’t help her with the bacon. Apparently since I cook breakfast during the week they’re going to be doing it on the weekends. I huff and flop down onto a bar stool. “C’mon!” I know I’m whining but I don’t care at this point.

            Next to me Natasha chuckles as she continues to cut up strawberries. “She’s not going to crack, _malyutka_. You’re never going to find out what she said to your girlfriend.”

            I feel blood rush to my cheeks and I duck my head to try and hide it from them, “She’s not my girlfriend!” My voice cracks and suddenly the room is filled with two loud laughs. I cross my arms, bouncing my glare between the two of them.

            “Not yet at least,” Natasha teases. I stick my tongue out at her, swiping one of her strawberries and tossing it into my mouth.

            “What Miss. Hart and I discussed will stay between the two of us, little one. All you have to worry about is having fun later,” she pauses for a moment before pointing a finger at me, “But not _too_ much fun!”

            My eyes widen, my cheeks turning an unnatural shade of red once again. I splutter, my mouth open and closing like a fish. I try to form words but my voice is stuck in my throat.  “Diana I think you broke her!” Natasha giggles.

            _Ding._

We all freeze, turning in the direction of the door. I go to stand, but Natasha pushes me back down. “Stay here…I’ll see who it is.” Diana and her share a long look before she leaves the room. I turn my attention to Diana when she is out of site, raising an eyebrow. She just waves her spatula at me, her eyes never straying from the entrance to the hallway.

            I stay silent, listening as Natasha opens the door. “Oh,” I perk up, sitting straighter in my seat as a familiar voice carries into the room, “G-Good morning Mrs. Prince.”

            Diana’s shoulders drop as the tension eases out of her. Fleetingly I wonder why an unexpected doorbell would put the two of them on high alert, I quickly forget about it however when Natasha speaks, “Come on in Kim, I can tell you were hoping for Trini; she’s in the kitchen.”

            My hands flit around nervously, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles on my black and yellow plaid shirt, adjusting the collar of the black V-neck I wear under it, and pushing down any fly-aways in my hair. I hadn’t expected to see Kim until I got to detention, I was ready but I still hadn’t had time to triple check my outfit and hair, to make sure it was perfect. Butterflies beat around in my stomach, my heart thumping loudly along with them. Diana snickers next to me, but I barely notice it as Kim walks into the room.

            All my nervousness from a moment ago fades away as I take her in. She’s smiling shyly, angling her face down as if to hide behind her hair, but it is too short to mask her beautiful face. She’s wearing a dark pink tank top and skin-tight black leggings, paired with her trademark leather jacket. I blink, reminding myself that Natasha and Diana are in the room and now is not the time to ogle Kim. Clearing my throat I finally speak, “H-Hey Kim, what are you doing here?”

            Her cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink and she thrusts her arms out. I’m confused for a moment until I take in the flowers and donuts, “I-uh know that we have detention before our date but I wanted to do this properly and pick you up and give you flowers. Then I thought I might as well get you some donuts because you know it’s kind of our thing? Plus I wasn’t sure if you had eaten…but it kind of looks like you’re in the middle of it and I can go if you want?”

            I bite my lip and gently take the flowers from her. They are a mixture of pink and yellow tulips, a smile tugs at my lip from this. “Do we have a vase?” I ask, not taking my eyes from Kim’s.

The flowers are gently extracted from my hands and I turn to see Natasha, “I’ll take care of these.”

            I nod, turning my attention back to Kim. “And uh, you could stay and have breakfast with us if you want?” I wring my hands together, looking at Kim through my eyelashes, praying she stays.

            A smile overtakes her lips and she nods vigorously. She hesitantly takes her jacket off, placing it on the back of her chair before taking a seat at the island with me. She dumps the box of donuts on the counter and I don’t hesitate to flip the lid to grab one, stuffing it in my face as soon as its in my hand. “A little hungry, huh?” Kim asks, a smirk gracing her features.

            “She’s just impatient, that’s what she is,” Diana interjects as she places the last of the bacon on a plate. “I told her she couldn’t eat until everything was ready, but she’s been sneaking strawberries when she thinks I’m not looking.”

            Next to me Kim giggles and my heart squeezes in my chest at the noise. “Hey I can’t help it I’m a growing child!”

            “I hate to break it to you, Trini, but I don’t think you’re growing anymore. You’re going to be pint sized forever.”

            I gasp, dramatically throwing my hand over my heart, “How dare you Kimberly Ann Hart, bringing my height into this!”

            She puts her hands in the air, but she’s smirking so I know she doesn’t feel too bad. “She’s got a point, little one.”

            “Hey there’s no need to discriminate against short people just because you two are vertically-blessed! Right, Natasha?”

            Natasha shoots me a glare, “I’m taller than you.”

            “Nat! I thought you were on my side! How could you betray me?”

            Natasha smirks, taking a donut for herself, “I’m just stating the facts.”

            I huff, ready to argue some more when Diana places her arm on-top of my head, leaning against it. “Don’t worry Trini, I love you’re height. Especially because you make a lovely arm rest.”

            Natasha and Kim burst out laughing.

 

* * *

 

            I glance over at Kim and can’t help but bite back a smile. She’s staring intently at the clock, her leg bouncing quickly underneath the table and her hand tapping against the desk. It’s good to know that’s she’s just as excited to get out of her and onto our date as I am. I admit that I had been stressing out last night, tearing through my wardrobe trying to find the perfect outfit because I knew I wouldn’t have time in the morning. Eventually Natasha and Diana had intervened, helping me pick out something that I deemed acceptable. They had reassured me that from what they had seen Kim cared deeply for me and wouldn’t care what I was wearing, as long as I was there.

            Then I had barely had any time to stress this morning before Kim had shown up. I smiled just thinking about the breakfast the four of us had shared. Even though most of the time had been spent making fun of my height I had still cherished every second of it because I knew that they cared, all three of them. That they all were so comfortable with me that they could joke around with me, something that nearly never happened with my parents.

            I’m broke from my thoughts as the teacher stands up, shuffling papers in his hands. “Alright, you’re all free to go.” I grin, reaching down to grab my bag. I had finished the last of my homework for the weekend and had been doodling for the last ten minutes so I didn’t have anything to pack up.

         I had just thrown my bag over my shoulder when Kim stopped in front of me, a shy smile gracing her face. “You ready to go?”

         I reach out and intertwine our fingers, squeezing hers gently.  “Lead the way.”

         We start to head up the stairs, only to be stopped. “You two love-birds aren’t going to leave without saying goodbye? And here I thought we were friends.”

         I turn around, rolling my eyes at Zach, “Alright, Mrs. Drama-Queen. Goodbye, have a lovely day. Now we are leaving.”

         I pulled Kimberly the rest of the way up the stairs, wanting to get out of here as quickly as possible and finally go on our date. We were only a few feet down the hallway when an arm was thrown around my shoulder, Zach squeezing tightly. “Have fun on your date,” he whispered into my ear before running off.

         I grinned, the butterflies in my stomach intensifying at the reminder that Kim and I were going on a _date_. I speed up a little bit, excitement coursing through my veins. Next to me Kim chuckles, “Calm down, Flash, we’ve got all day.”

         I don’t hold up, her car in sight now that we are outside, “Hey I’m just curious about this mystery date, you haven’t told me anything.” I pout, I had tried, really hard too, to get Kim to tell me what we were going to be doing. She had just smiled and told me that I would find out and to make sure to dress comfortably.

         “Oh so you’re only going on the date to sate your curiosity? Not because you want to spend time with me?” Finally we reach the car and she detaches her hands to open the passenger side door for me.

         “Of course, I mean why would I be excited about spending time with you?” I wink at her as I slide into the car. Her eyes widen slightly in surprise and she hovers for a moment, stunned. Finally she remembers what she’s doing because she closes the door and jogs around to the driver’s side.

         We are silent as she pulls out of the school parking lot and I spend a few minutes messing around with her radio until I’ve found a station that I like. Imagine Dragons song “Believer” fills the silence, I’m just adjusting the volume so that it’s just background noise when Kim speaks up, “It’s a two-parter.” Kim blurts out of nowhere.

         I furrow my brows, cocking my head at her in confusion. She’s gently biting on her lip, her biggest tell that she’s nervous. “What?”

         “The date, it’s, uh, a two-parter,” she waved her hand in the hair as if it will help her find her words, “First I thought that we could get some lunch and then we’re – well the next part is a surprise. But there’s two parts to the date, if you’re ok with that. I know it’s a lot of time to spend with me,” she laughed for a moment, but it was forced and I could see her anxiety grow, as if she was scared that I wouldn’t enjoy spending so much time with her.

         “That sounds amazing,” I fiddled with my thumb, looking down at my lap, “I’m happy to spend any time with you, so a two-part date? I would love nothing more.”

         Kim reached across the console, grabbing my hand. She tugged on it lightly and I followed our interlocked hands. She gently kissed the back of my hand and I felt myself swoon. God she’s perfect.

 

* * *

 

          I settle back onto my side of the booth, watching as Kim does the same opposite of me. I barely notice as the hostess tells us that our waiter will be with us soon. I take in the diner, a retro place with a long bar with the cook visible behind it. The color scheme is a soft beige and startling red. Sixties music plays softly in the background, setting the mood for the diner. “You mentioned once that you love diners so I thought you would like this.”

           “You remembered that? I mentioned it in passing at one of our bonfires months ago!”

           Kim shrugged, “I listen, especially when it’s a pretty girl.”

           I grin, flicking a wad of napkin I had been playing with at her, “Flattery will get you everywhere, princesa.”

          “Hello ladies, my name is Paul and I’ll be your server today, can I start you off with some drinks?” I hold back a groan at being interrupted, turning to our server. He looks to be a little older than us, one of those pretty boys with the mussed up blonde hair and those sparkling blue eyes. He’s angled his body towards Kim as he rakes his eyes over her, giving her a crooked smile that must make most girls giggle. I curl my hand into a fist, bunching up the napkin in it.

           “I’ll take a raspberry iced tea,” I grit out, sending him a heated glare. He doesn’t spare a look in my direction, jotting it down quickly on his pad before turning his attention back on Kim.

            I turn my gaze to Kimberly to find her browsing the menu, “I’ll have a pink lemonade, please,” she stated, sitting back, satisfied with her order.

           The server hovers for a moment, waiting for Kim to spare him a glance. But when her eyes don’t stray from me he takes the hint and walks away. I smirk, picking up my menu to look at what to get. I scan through quickly, wanting to make my decision quickly so that I can turn my attention back to Kim. I finally decide on the buffalo chicken wrap with fries, placing my menu to the side to get it out of the way.

            I expect Kim to be looking at her own, but instead she has placed her elbow on the table, leaning her head against her palm. Her eyes are an ocean of molten chocolate, unwavering as they take me in. The corners of her lips are tugged up in a content smile, “What are you staring at, princesa?”

            “A work of art.”

            “Dios mio!” I laugh, throwing my head back. “You’re ridiculously cheesy, you know that? ‘Work of art’ my ass, you’re just trying to butter me up.”

            She rolls her eyes at me, not moving an inch, “There’s no reason for me to butter you up, I’ve already got you for the whole day; I don’t need anything else. I’m just stating facts, if I’m a little cheesy then you’re just going to have to deal with it.”

            “Am I now?” I counter, “That might be too much for me to handle. I think I should take some bread sticks and bail while I still can.”

            “See you’re in too deep already, and besides this is a diner they don’t give you breadsticks so there!” She sticks her tongue out at me childishly, squeezing her eyes shut and scrunching up her nose. I quickly grab my phone, snapping a picture of her. “Hey did you just take a picture!”

            She reaches across the table, trying to snatch my phone but I pull it back in time. “Uh uh!” I say, waggling my finger at her, “You can’t just make adorable faces like that and expect me not to want a picture. This is going to be your new contact picture.”

            She pouts and I just take another picture of her. “Oh c’mon!” she groans, throwing her hands in the air.

            I giggle, making sure to save the photos to my cloud before I put the phone back down, just in case she swipes it when I’m not looking. But she makes no move to grab it and I relax back into the seat.

            Suddenly a hand appears and places a glass of pink liquid in front of Kim and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes. My tea is put down a moment later. “So have you decided what you want?”

            I huff and cross my arms as I watch the waiter Patrick or whatever-his-name-is, lean his hip against our booth, hunching down slightly so that he can be closer to Kim. Couldn’t he see that we were on a date? Or did he think we were just ‘gal pals’ or some stupid crap like that? The only reason I can resist slapping him in the face is because Kim doesn’t even seem to notice his blatant flirting. She’s quickly flicking through the menu. I miss what she orders as I glare at the back of the servers head. “Do you know what you want, Trini?”

            I snap out of my jealous-filled haze to rattle off my order, my glare intensifying as I have to repeat myself two more times because he’s too busy gazing at Kim to take in my order. Finally he walks away and I continue to send him heated glares, only taking my eyes off of him when Kim grabs my hand. “Hey what’s wrong?”

           “The waiter,” I grind out, my voice softening when I turn to her to find her eyes swimming with concern. She cocks her head to the side, “He’s flirting with you,” I deadpan.

            Her smiles widens so much that I wonder if it’s painful. “You’re jealous.”

           “No,” I huff, “I just think it’s rude, you know? He’s assuming that we’re two heterosexual girls just being ‘gal pals’ and grabbing lunch. He could just be a little more respectful, even if we weren’t on a date he shouldn’t ogle you like a piece of meat! And he hasn’t even looked at me once since we sat down, I mean how rude can you get?”

            Kim giggles, “You’re jealous, but it’s unnecessary, darling. You’re the only one I have eyes for, I didn’t even notice that he was flirting with me, if you couldn’t tell I’ve been completely enamored with you the entire time we’ve been here.”

            “You’ve got this wooing thing, in the bag, princesa.”

 

* * *

 

            The rest of the lunch with little to no hitch, the waiter continued to flirt with Kim, but she paid him no mind, brushing him off at every opportunity. We were both laughing about Jason’s love for Nickleback when Pablo interrupted us. “Here is the check, have an _amazing_ day.”

            He winked at Kim before walking away. I felt my blood boil as my eyes dropped down to the check, taking in the phone number scrawled at the bottom, with a winky face tagged on the end. “Are you freaking kidding me!”

            Kim blinks, “What?” She looks around for a moment before she takes in the number on the check. Her mouth drops open in an ‘O’. I glare at the check, wishing that if I stared at it hard enough that it would suddenly combust into flames. “Waiter!” Kim yells out, throwing her hand into the air, shaking it around.

            Peter’s head turns so fast I’m surprised that he didn’t give himself whiplash. A moment later he is back at our table, a stupid grin on his perfectly chiseled face. “How can I help you, beautiful?”

            Kim’s stare is ice cold, “You can stop walking around like you’re God’s gift,” he flinches as if slapped, “I’ve shown no interest towards you the entire time we’ve been here and yet you still think it’s a great idea to put your number on our receipt. If you had any class you’d realize that I’m on a date and that the only reason that I even knew you were attempting to flirt with me was because you were pissing off my date. So I think you owe both of us an apology.”

            He floundered for a moment, unsure of what to do. “I’m so sorry,” he rushed out, nearly running away from the table.

            I grin as Kim smirks, “Alright let me take care of this check so we can get on with part two of our date.”

            I sit up to pull my wallet out of my back pocket. “How much do I owe?”

            Kim looks offended, “Put your wallet away, I asked you on the date, I’m paying.” I open my mouth to argue, “Nope, not happening.” She pushes my hand away, throwing some money on the bill.

            “Alright let’s go.”

            I roll my eyes, standing up. We’re already out the door before I ask, “How much did you leave for a tip?”

            “A dollar.”

 

* * *

 

            “No way,” I breathe out, taking it all in.

            “Yes way,” Kim says, tugging me towards the line as she pulls two tickets out of her pocket.

            I bounce with excitement as we wait for our turn in line. I can hear the gleeful screams from here, the smell of cotton candy reaching my nose, the sign ‘Canobie Lake Park’ arching over us. “I haven’t been to an amusement park since I was a kid!”

            Kim just shoots me a smile as she hands the worker our passes. “What should we go on first? The bumper cars? Or maybe a rollercoaster? Do you think they have a map?” Kim takes a paper from the lady and hands it to me with a smirk. I nearly rip it in my excitement. “Oh they’ve got a rollercoaster called Untamed! Can we go on that first?”

            “I’m glad you’re so excited,” Kim says as she grabs my hand, pulling me along with her.

            “Why wouldn’t I be excited, this is great!”

 

* * *

 

            Three rollercoasters later, bumper cars, the merry-go round, and ride on the old-fashioned cars we were now walking aimlessly around, arms linked together. The sun was slowly starting to fade and the lights on all the rides were beginning to turn on, casting everything in vibrant purples, reds, blues, etc.

            The grin hadn’t left my face the entire time that I had been here. Not only was I at an amusement park for the first time in years, but I was here with a beautiful girl and that just made everything a hundred times better. I felt like I was in my sabretooth tiger Zord, with the world at my feet and nothing able to stop me. “Do you want to go on the Ferris wheel?”

            And the bubble popped, causing me to metaphorically face-plant back to Earth. “T-the Ferris wheel?”

            “Yeah, I figured it would be romantic, you know with all the lights.” She looked down, blushing slightly.

            “Uh of course,” I nodded vigorously as panic began to settle in my chest. I hate Ferris wheels, I always have and I always will. It wasn’t even the height that bothered me, it was the ride itself. I had this unfounded fear that it would all of a sudden break, they were always rattling, making creaking noises and the carts they kept you in were barely attached to the structure, always lurching with even the slightest movement.

            My palms began to sweat, my heart thudding faster and faster in my chest. My blood roared in my ears as the line progressed quickly and in almost no time at all we were being ushered onto our own cart, squished together as the lap bar locked us in. I tightened my hold on Kim’s hand as the wheel began to turn, bringing us higher and higher, closer to our deaths.

            “Trini?” Kim’s voice cut through my panic, and I looked over at her, trying to move as little as possible. “Are you okay?” She moved her arm, putting it around my shoulders. I let out a squeal, my hands flying out to grip onto the lap bar. I barely contained my strength, only doing so because I know it will break the only thing keeping me in this metal death trap. “Are you scared?”

            She shifted slightly and I whimpered. Immediately she froze, “I’m kind of terrified of Ferris wheels,” I admit.

            Kim groans, lowering her head to rest against my shoulder. “Trini I am so sorry, if I had known I would have never pushed you into this.”

            “It’s ok, just please for the love of god don’t move. And please distract me.”

            It suddenly lurched to a stop and I whimpered again. “I can think of something to distract you.”

            Before I can even ask what she’s going to do a pair of lips cover my own. The world around us drop away, all that exists is Kim and I, her lips on mine, moving gently. Fireworks don’t start flashing behind my eyes, instead a warmth envelops my chest and spreads throughout. I sigh gently, leaning closer as raspberry and vanilla invade my nose. Her lips are like satin, moving gently against my own. I shift closer, never wanting this moment to end. I forget about the Ferris wheel and how at any moment Kim and I could go plummeting to our deaths because all that exists in that moment are Kim and I.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, have a lovely day and please leave comments! You guys are great and I was so happy to see so much feedback on the last chapter!


	17. Make-Out's and Coming-Out's

            I was walking towards the library, planning on spending my free period getting some of my calculus homework done. It seemed though that somebody had different plans for me however because as I was walking by an empty classroom a hand shot out, grabbing hold of my shirt and pulling me in. Immediately my training kicked in and I took ahold of the arm, twisting it in my grip, swinging the person around so that they slammed into the wall. “Trini!” Kim grunted out, face pressed into the wall.          

            My eyes widened and I quickly released her, “Dios mio! Are you alright?” I slapped her arm, “What the hell Kim, I could have seriously hurt you!”

            She grimaced as she turned around, rubbing her arm, “I just wanted a moment alone with you, I didn’t think you’d attack me.”

            She pouted adorably, jutting her lip out and batting her eyes at me. “Don’t be such a wuss, you’ll be fine. But if it really does hurt I can give you a kiss to feel better.”

            A smile broke across her face and I stepped forward, gently cupping her jaw in my right hand. I stroked her cheek with my thumb, drawing gentle caresses across her satin skin. Taking one step closer I pressed our bodies together, all the while never breaking eye contact. Her mocha eyes widened, staring back at me in a mixture of surprise and desire. I tugged gently on her face, drawing her down so that we were only an inch or two apart. I felt her ragged breath against my lips, watched as her eyes drifted shut slowly.

             I leaned up the last few inches, connecting our lips. I couldn’t contain the sigh I let out as her lips began to move against my own. My head began to swirl as heat spread throughout my body, starting at my lips and settling into my chest. I stayed like this for another moment, basking in the feeling before I reluctantly pulled away. As much as I would love to spend the rest of the day kissing Kim I knew that she had a class to get to.

            She let out a whine and chased my lips, dropping her hands to my hips, trying to pull me back in. I let out a breathy chuckle, “You have class” I murmured, sucking in a shuddering breathe.

            “Screw class,” she growled out, twirling us and pushing me up against the wall. I let out a gasp of surprise but it was quickly smothered by her lips. A groan escaped my lips as she took my bottom lip between her own, sucking on it gently. I dragged my hands up, running them through her hair, attempting to pull her impossibly closer.

             I felt my lungs begin to burn, begging for oxygen, but I was unwilling to release Kim from our lip-lock. All too soon Kim pulled away, causing me to gasp out, greedily sucking in air. I was just about to complain, to pull her back in for another heated exchange when she began to trail kisses along my jaw. I leaned my head back, extending my neck to make it easier for her. She hummed in approval, dropping her kisses down further, making her way down the column of my throat until she found a spot that caused a loud moan to rip its way past my lips.

              I felt a smirk grace Kim’s lips before she focused on that one spot, sucking on it gently before grazing it with her teeth. Another loud moan escaped and I felt my hips rock forward on impulse.

              “MY EYES!”

               I felt myself flail, trying to push Kim away quickly. She scrambled to get off me, her foot catching on my own, causing her to crash to the ground. I turned to the door to find Jason with a hand slapped over his eyes, his face as red as his suit. “W-What do you want?” I stuttered out, feeling my own face heat up to match his. I dropped my eyes to my shoes, groaning as a wave of embarrassment washed over me.

               He opened his mouth, but Kim bounced up, bounding over to him. “Goddammit Jason I thought you were a teacher! Couldn’t you have just left like a goddam normal person!” She shoved him back, causing him to stumble and hit the door frame.

                I quickly scurried over to Kim, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her from attacking Jason again, “Woah, Kim, calm down, I’m sure he didn’t mean to.”

                She turned, wrapping both of her arms around my shoulders, hugging me close. Her head dropped to rest against my own and she took a deep breathe in before slowly detaching herself from me, turning back to Jason. “I’m sorry for snapping at you, Jace. I just got…caught up in the moment.”

                “Yeah I could tell,” he muttered, grimacing as he finally dropping his hand from his eyes. “I was just looking for Kim…you didn’t show up to History so I thought I’d look around for you. I wish I hadn’t.”

                 “Me too,” I muttered under my breath, though it seemed that they had both heard it anyway.

                 Jason just shook his head and started to back out of the room, “I’m just going to head back to class.” He bumped into the door in his rush to get out the door, leaving Kim and I alone once more.

                 We were silent for a moment, taking in the moment. Then we both broke into laughter, leaning against each other so that we wouldn’t fall over.

 

* * *

 

                  I stared down at my phone, not paying attention as I read the text message that Kim had sent me.

 **Princesa (2:02 pm):** Sorry, T, I won’t be able to meet you after school. Amanda and Ashely wanted to talk…I think they want to get over the whole Ty thing. Wish me luck! J

            I sighed, I’m glad that Kim is finally laying to rest all the issues between her and those two but at the same time a part of me, a selfish part, wishes that I could have her to myself for the afternoon. Ever since our date I just can’t seem to get enough of Kim and I worry that I’ll come across as too clingy. However she seems to want to spend as much time with me as I want to with her. Every morning this week she has picked me up for school, helping me make breakfast for Diana, Natasha and the two of us. To top it off we had hung out afterschool twice already, just doing homework and watching TV at the house and it was only Thursday. I shake my head, pushing my selfish part to the side, in a dark corner of my soul, and type out a quick reply to Kim.

 **To Princesa (2:06pm):** I understand, have fun and I hope it goes well! But if it doesn’t don’t forget that I can kick their asses! ;)

            “Babe, there you are! I haven’t seen you all week!” I jolt to a halt, groaning as I take in Mike, sauntering over to me along with three other guys that I’ve never seen before. I quickly turn on my heel, knowing that this is a recipe of disaster. A hand wraps around my wrist, tugging on it. I know that I could keep walking, break his grip and sprint away. But there would be no explanation as to why a small teenage girl like myself would be able to escape from the school’s quarterback’s grip and I can’t have them suspecting that I could be a Power Ranger.

            So I stop again, turning my head and giving him the fiercest glare that I can muster. “Get. Your. Hand. Off. Me.” I grit out through clenched teeth.

            He rolls his eyes at me, but does drop my hand, turning to the guys at either side of him, “I told you that she’s a spitfire, can’t wait to see what she’s like in bed, you know what I mean?” He sends them a wink and I feel my blood boil.

            Spinning back around so that I’m facing him I stab him in the chest with my finger. “You listen here, dipshit, I have told you time and time again that I’m not interested. I am not your girl. Or your girlfriend. Or your fuckbuddy. Or whatever the hell you think we are! I don’t understand why you think that we are something at all, I’ve told you every time that we’ve ever interacted to back the fuck off, but you can’t take a hint!”

            “C’mon, babe, this hard-to-get act is getting old, just drop it, will ya?” Mike took a step towards me, going to put his arm around me, “You can’t deny that you want this.”

            That’s it. I push him away, causing him to stumble into one of his friends, who helps him regain his balance. “I don’t want you!” I practically yell, “There is no planet that I would ever want you! Do you know why? Not only are you the most narcissistic, rude, and generally gross person that I have ever had the displeasure of meeting, I am gay! Do you get that? It means that I only like women. Actually you might qualify, because your dick must be must be microscopic with the way that you overcompensate with that god-like complex! So once and for all, I’m gay and I don’t want you!”

            He stared down at me for a moment, blinking. I could see the cogs turning slowly in his head, trying to wrap his pea-sized brain around what I said. Finally after a full minute he says, “Well then I’ll just have to show you what it’s like to be with a man, teach you what’s right.”

            I nearly jumped at him, ready to break his nose for that comment when one of his buddies stepped in front of me, pushing Mike back. “What the fuck man?” he hissed out, “She told you multiple times that she’s not interested and that she’s gay, so back off.”

            Mike stepped forward, so that the two of them were face to face. “Walk away, Rocky.”

            Rocky squared his shoulders, “No way. She’s right, you need to back off. I’m not going to sit here and watch you be homophobic and sexually harass this girl. Walk away before I make you.”

            Mike turned to the other two guys, looking for support. Both of them looked down at their feet, unwilling to intervene. He huffed in annoyance, glaring at me over Rocky’s shoulder. “You better watch yourself, Trini.” With that he turned around, stomping down the hallway. A moment later the other two shuffled away, trailing behind him.

             I sighed in relief once he was out of sight, slumping against the row of lockers to my left. “I’m sorry about him,” Rocky said, playing with the strap on his backpack nervously, “I didn’t realize that he was harassing you. If I had known I would have put a stop to it sooner.”

             I gave him a week smile, “Thanks…Rocky, right?”

             He nodded, flashing me a smile. “Yeah. It was, uh, nice meeting you Trini, I wish it was under better circumstances.” He sent me a wave before disappearing down the hallway as well.

              I leaned my head back against the locker, taking in a deep breath. I should be able to let encounters slide off my shoulders, block out the homophobia. But I can’t, it still gets to me. It still feels like a knife in the gut every time someone calls me faggot, tells me to rot in hell, or like Mike did, tell me that they can convert me. People at my old schools had found out before, how my parents didn’t know sooner I will never know. But either way this wasn’t my first run-in with a homophobic jerk, but it still hurt as bad as the first time. It still makes my chest ache and I have to fight the desire to go curl up in my room and cry my eyes out. The only thing that makes it bearable are people like Rocky who intervene before it can get bad. Who tell those homophobic jerks where to shove it.

              I take in one more deep breathe before I push myself up. I stalk out of the school, heading for the pit so that I can vent my anger.

 

              In my mind the putty in front of me is Mike, smirking down cockily at me as he tells me that he’ll ‘teach me what it’s like to be with a man.’ I growl, drawing my hand back and punching it in the face as hard as I can, watching as it rock face goes flying, hitting the pit wall before disappearing into a cloud of dust.

              “Another,” I pant out, sweat dripping down my body as I square my shoulders, preparing for another faceless monster to tear apart.

              Alpha waves his hands around nervously, “This is the last one Miss. Trini, you’ve been at it for nearly two hours now.”

              I roll my eyes, “Fine, now materialize my last one.”

              A second later a putty is forming in front of me, stocking towards me slowly, just like Mike did earlier. It causes my anger to flair and I look around, noticing that I am by the wall. An idea forms in my head and I quickly put it to action. I run towards the wall, running up it before pushing off it, sailing over the putty. I land on my feet, quickly dropping down to kick at the putty’s leg, causing it to slam to the ground. I’m on my feet in an instant, straddling the fallen putty, bringing my fist back, punching it in the face over and over again.

              I don’t know how long I punch that putty in the face. It could have been hours, or mere seconds, I’m not really sure. All I know is that it dissolves under me, leaving me with bloody knuckles and panting like a race horse, the anger evaporating from me as the rock settles back into the earth.

              “Miss. Trini are you ok?” Alpha questions, hovering over me hesitantly.

               I give him a weak smile, “I’m all better now.”

 

            The walk from the pit to Diana and Natasha’s house takes fifteen minutes and as soon as I am out of the cave I pull my phone out of my bag, ready to call Diana to apologize for being late and to tell her that I’ll be home soon. However when I open up my phone I find a small message on the home screen. I open it up to find a notification:

_This phone has been disconnected, contact your provider for more information._

            I feel my heart drop in my chest. I don’t care that my phone has been disconnected, it sucks but I can get over it, but this means that my parents have given up on me. My father said that he had fought to keep my phone on, that he would fight to bring me home. But this proves that he’s either given up, or given in to my mother. It also means that there’s no way that I’m ever going to live with my brothers again. I love Diana and Natasha, and living with them has been the best thing to ever happen to me, but I miss my brothers and the only way that I will see them now is by sneaking around behind our mothers back.

            I purse my lips and notice that I am on our street already. I quickly bee-line to the front door. Throwing it open I waltz in, “Diana!” I call out, “Natasha! I’m home!”

            I freeze as I enter the living room. Standing in the center is Wonder Woman, decked out in full armor. Her shield is in one hand, her sword in the other. On her hip is a golden lasso, pulsing lightly. I blink as I take in her face and it hits me. Diana is Wonder Woman. The woman who took me in, fed me and showed me so much love is Wonder Woman. Finally I notice Natasha at her side, holding on to her arm. Both of them are staring at me and for a moment all is quiet as the three of us take each other in.

            In the blink of the eye Diana is in front of me, dropping her weapons to the floor, using her hands to cup my cheeks. “Little one we were so worried. I was ready to go search the entire town for you! Where have you been?” Her eyes are steely, worry swirling in them as she scans my face.

            “Y-You’re Wonder Woman,” I’m in awe, unable to think as I try and process this information.

            “And you’re a Power Ranger.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had writer's block lately so I'm sorry for the long wait! I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and I promise to update soon again! As always have a lovely day and please comment! You guys are amazing and I appreciate all the feedback! :)


	18. Talking it Through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry for taking forever to update. I've been very busy settling back into the swing of college and classes that I just haven't had the time to do much else. Anyways, here's the new chapter and I hope you like it!

           Everyone has that moment where they pat their pocket to check that their phone is there, only to find nothing. In that moment your heart lurches up to your throat and your blood runs cold. Terror slices through you as you search your pockets in vain, a cold sweat breaking across your skin. That’s what I’m feeling in this moment, only a hundred times worse.

            How could they possibly know that I was a Power Ranger? I hadn’t told them, hadn’t even talked about the Power Ranger’s with them in passing. What if I was kicked out? Zordon did say that we couldn’t tell anyone our secret, but I hadn’t told them they had figured it out themselves. Did that even matter? Was I going to be cast aside, kicked out of the group and have to watch from a distance as they found a new yellow ranger? I ball my hands into fists at my side to stop them from shaking, gulping to try and return my heart to my chest.

            My throat tightened and I drew in a stuttered breath, trying to keep my rapidly beating heart at bay. “W-What are you, why would you – how could you think I-I’m a Power Ranger?” I choke out. I try to chuckle, hoping to play it off as a joke but the noise that escapes my lips sounds more like a strangled groan. Diana’s eyebrows draw together and she glances back at Natasha. I feel myself begin to shake as visions of Alpha taking away my coin flash through my mind. Zordon staring at me in disappointment and anger as I plead with him to let me stay. The rest of the rangers growing distant from me as they start to befriend whoever would take up my mantle. “That’s, it’s absolutely crazy!” I cry out, my voice loud, my arms beginning to shake even though I have them pressed tightly to my side, “Me a Power Ranger? Ha, that’s a- you guys are just hilarious!”

            Gently Diana loops an arm around my waist, pulling me lightly towards the coach. My eyes bounce between Natasha and her, both of them plastered with concern. Diana gently rubs my arm and I know it is meant for comfort, but it has the opposite effect on me. I feel myself begin to panic further, my skin prickling where she had touched. “Why are we focusing on the fact – the supposed fact! – that I’m a Power Ranger and not that Diana is Wonder fucking Women?!?”

            I blink as Natasha crouches in front of me, just realizing that I’m sitting on the coach. She takes both my hands in hers, locking her gaze with mine. “Trini, you need to calm down. We just want to talk about it, ok?”

            Closing my eyes I take a moment to go through the breathing exercise that Natasha taught me the night of my nightmare. When I feel like I can breathe past the heart still stuck in my throat I open them again. “If – hypothetically speaking – I was a Power Ranger, how might you have – hypothetically – found out?”

            Natasha arched an eyebrow before standing. “Well we didn’t really suspect anything until the night of your nightmare.”        

            I frown, “Why would that night make you think that I’m a Ranger, hypothetically of course.”

            Natasha sends Diana a look and she stands from her seat next to me and strides out of the room. “So you remember how I found you in the back yard that night?” I nod, trying to think if I had said anything, somehow tipped them off. But I draw a blank. All I can remember is the blind panic that I had felt, how the two of them had comforted me. But none of that should have indicated to them that I’m a Ranger.

            “What does that have to do with anything?” I ask hesitantly, watching as Diana reenters the room, laptop in hand.

            “Well we have a surveillance system outside, it’s actually what alerted us that night. It went off…when you jumped out the window.” Now my heart was in my mouth, ready to jump out at any moment. Jumping from that window had been to avoid waking them, but it seemed to have done the exact opposite. How had I not noticed before that they had surveillance, why did they even have surveillance in the first place? I freeze as I realize that not only had they seen me jump from my window, but they had also seen me walk away unaffected from my fall.

            Rubbing my hand down my face I bite on my lip, trying to come up with an explanation as to why I could walk away unscathed from that. I decide to stall, “Why do you guys even need surveillance?”

            Natasha shrugs, “We both have a lot of enemies out there, it’s only logical to have a system to alert us to possible threats. Especially now that we have you,” she gives me a small smile, “We don’t want anything or anyone to hurt you, _malyutka_.”

            “Why would you have any enemies? I can understand Diana, but why you?”

            “I’m an ex-spy,” she says, waving her hand dismissively in the air as if it were nothing. I feel my eyes widen, blinking in surprise. She said it as if it were an everyday fact, like it was nothing. I open my mouth to ask her to continue, to please explain because you can’t just drop a bomb like that and expect me to just gloss over it but she cuts me off. “That’s how I was able to listen to your conversation with your friends the next morning. How we figured out that you were a Power Ranger, because you talked about it to them.”

             I jerk forward, jumping to my feat, “You what!?” I yell out, “You listened to my conversation? How could you do that?!”

            I send them both a glare, my anger clear on my face. I felt my breathe quicken once more and I take a few more steps back from them, hoping the distance will calm me down. It doesn’t. Natasha’s face hardens, “Kimberly pushed Diana aside, _malyutka_. A normal mortal does not possess the strength to do such a thing. We feared that she could be a possible threat, to you or us we were unsure. So we thought it only in all of our best interest to listen in on your conversation.”

            I can see where they are coming from, really I can, but it does nothing to dissipate my anger. I give up the hypothetical pretense, they already know the truth and there’s no convincing them otherwise now. “Do you know what this could do to me? How much _trouble_ I can be in?” The panic is seeping in again, seeping into my bones and shooting through my veins. I can feel my heart-rate accelerate, my hands begin to get clammy. “Zordon is going to take away my coin!” I yell out, bounding across the room I begin to pace.

            “You’re what?” one of them asks in confusion, but I’m not paying enough attention to tell which one spoke. I shakily run my hands through my hair, hoping it will help me calm my nerves. Fisting a handful of it I tug lightly, the pain grounding me in the moment, reminding that I need to stay in the moment. I need to fix this, whatever it takes.

            I need to leave, need to go talk to Zordon. I need to explain the situation to him. That I didn’t mean to tell them; that they overheard me talking about the Rangers. Maybe he’ll understand. Or maybe he’ll kick me out of the Rangers, out casting me for breaking one of his three rules that he laid out for all of us.

Goddammit he only had three freaking rules and I had to be a screw-up and break one of those. Because that’s who I was, the screw-up. I ruined everything good that I ever had, finding a way to sabotage all my happiness. But I can’t allow myself to screw this up, because if I do I’ll lose the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ll lose Billy and his never-ending optimism. I’ll lose Jason being the Dad of the group, always worrying about us and making sure we’re ok. I’ll lose Zach and his impulsive decisions and unwavering loyalty. And I’ll lose Kim, the girl that holds my heart.  I freeze in my spot, turning towards Diana and Natasha. “I-I need to go.”

            I turn towards the door, intending to leave right then and there, but a hand encircles my arm. For a moment I am thrown back to a few hours prior when another had done the same to me, but I’m pulled back to the present when the hand pulls me back, away from the door. I spin around to find myself face-to-face with Diana. “You’re not just going to run out of here without sitting down and talking to us!” she orders, pulling me back in the direction of the living room. This time, however, I dig my feet in and don’t allow her to steer me around. I know that she could make me go to the living room, whether I liked it or not, but she respected me enough not to do so.

            “Diana I need to go!” I say, my voice sounding nearly hysterical to my own ears. “There are only three rules to being a Power Ranger and one of them is that you can’t tell anyone you’re a Ranger! I need to go explain to Zordon! I need to…” I tug my arm but she doesn’t let up her grip.

            “Not until you explain who Zordon is and what’s going on!” she asserts, her decision unwavering.

            A sharp rap on the door breaks through our emotion-filled stare. I go to open the door, but am tugged back by Diana, who only shakes her head at me. Natasha brushes past the two of us. Tears prickle at my eyes, threatening to fall as I plead with her, “Please Diana I need to go!”

            “Trini!” I turn my head as Kim comes barreling towards me. “Are you ok?” she asks, scanning me for any injuries.

            “They know!” I cry out, slumping against Diana as the anger slowly drains out of me, replaced with acceptance of my fate, “They know that I’m a Power Ranger.”

            Diana’s arm encircle me, pulling me into an embrace, hoping to sooth me probably. I feel the tears finally start to fall, watching as Kim’s face drops and her eyes swim with worry. She takes a step closer and that’s when the water works really start. My vision blurs and I let out a sob that racks my entire frame, only one to many that quickly follow. For the next few minutes, or hours I’m not really sure, all I feel are waves of sorrow as I come to accept my fate. I’m not going to be a Power Ranger anymore. I’m going to have to watch from a distance as my friends train to save the world without me. I’m going to be left behind as they further develop into the heroes they already are. Eventually my sobs subside, turning into quiet whimpers and my tears dry up, leaving my eyes itchy and my face runny with mascara.

            I sniffle and pull back from the embrace I’m in, keeping my eyes on the floor so that I won’t have to meet the eyes of anyone in the room. “Trini please just explain what’s going on,” Diana pleads, her tone nearly desperate. My eyes dart up for a second until I find Kim’s gaze. It’s worry with a twinge of sadness sprinkled in.

            Using my eyes I plead with her to explain. She sighs, looking at Diana and Natasha before she begins to tell them the story of how we became Rangers, how we defeated Rita, and how we’re not supposed to tell anyone about our side-business of running around in alien armor protecting the Zeo crystal. When she finishes the room is filled with silence and finally I speak, my voice cracking from the crying, “I’m not ready to give up the Rangers.”

            Next to me Diana jerks, “What?”

            I blink, looking up at her, “Zordon is going to kick me out, you guys know.”

            “No he won’t” Kim says with all the certainty in the world. “None of us are going to let that happen. We aren’t the Rangers without you Trini.”

            I sigh and close my eyes, “But it’s not your guy’s decision, it’s his.”

            Kim’s face hardened, “Bullshit. I’d like to see him try to take away your coin, especially because you didn’t break his goddamn rule. They found out themselves, Trini, you didn’t tell them.”

            Natasha stands, “There’s only one way to find out.”

 

* * *

 

            I stand at the edge of the cliff, looking down. I can’t see the pool of water from up here, but I know that it’s waiting for me. Waiting for me to jump into it for the final time. “I can’t do this,” I shake my head, wrapping my arms around myself as I try to keep my heart from thudding out of my chest.

            “You can and you will,” Natasha said, looking down the cliff herself. “You need to do this Trini.”

            I nod, tightening my hands into fists. Kim places a hand on my shoulder, “C’mon, I’ll be with you the entire time.”   

            “And we’ll be out here for you when you’re finished,” Diana adds. It had taken a lot of convincing but finally they had agreed to wait up here. Kim and I had both urged them that it would only hurt me if I brought them into the ship.

            I take a deep breath. I can do this, all I need is to jump down there and talk to Zordon, something I’d been doing every day for the past six months. On three I’m going to do. _One._ I take in a breath, steeling my nerves. _Two_. I look to my side to find Diana and Natasha looking at me with encouraging smiles. _Three_. I stride forward, stepping off the cliff.

            For a moment I fall through the air, the wind wiping my hair all around as I plummet down. A beat later I’m in the pool, swimming down to my doom.

            Everything after that is a daze. Entering the tunnels, walking to the ship and coming face to face with Zordon. It seems like I go from the cliff to staring at Zordon in the blink of an eye. I shake as Zordon appears on the wall, “Trini I did not expect to see you again until tomorrow, what brings you back.”

            Next to me Kim gives me a questioning look, but doesn’t say anything. I close my eyes, unable to look at Zordon as I reveal the truth. “Zordon…the women I have been living with, Diana and Natasha, they…they found out. They figured out that I’m a Ranger.” My lip trembles and I catch it with me teeth, biting down on it harshly. “I broke one of the rules and I know that you need to take away my coin, but please understand that I never meant for this to happen and-”

            “Trini,” Zordon voice booms, cutting me off, “There is nothing to apologize for, these women found out on their own, correct?” I give a small nod, my eyes trained on the floor still, “Then you did not break your oath. This is not the first time that someone has figured out a Rangers identity and it will probably not be the last. But I need to know, are these women a threat to the team? Will they expose you or the others?”

            “No never!” I say vehemently, shaking my head.

            “Good, then you have nothing to worry about. Go home and rest, you deserve it after the physical and emotional turmoil you have faced today.” With that Zordon’s face disappears and I am left shaking in the control room with Kim at my side. I let out a breath I have been holding since the moment I had walked in the front door and slump against Kim. I know there are many things to talk about still, but they can wait. For now I just relish in the feeling of being incased by Kim’s strong arms and allow the relief to flood through my veins and untangle the knot in my chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please comment and have a lovely day!


End file.
